The Legends of Da'sheen: Osi'mith
by SuzanOfSouthern
Summary: The land of Da'sheen and the kingdom of Osi'mith find King Ori hunting down his former general Zadok, once prince. Ori's son, Azmaveth, is helping his friend escape, with the fate of Osi'mith in the balance. (Allegorical fantasy story)
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, so I probably should have written this when I first put this out... this is a fictional piece based on certain stories of David from the Bible. I changed the names and put them in a medieval setting in a made-up land. If you have any criticisms or critiques, or any comments in general, please feel free to leave them. I've got a certain amount of editing to do to this anyways. Enjoy the story! (And trust me, it's worth the read...)**

* * *

Zadok peered into the mouth of the cave. So far, he and his men had done well; King Ori hadn't found them yet. Zadok had once been loved by the King. He had even married the King's eldest daughter, but when the Light left the King, King Ori declared Zadok an outlaw, and she was given to someone else. Zadok took a deep breath and softly whispered, "Follow me." He slipped into the cave, followed closely by thirty men. These men were the loyal ones, the ones who swore to stay by his side until he became king. There were other groups, fighting and hiding just as they were. All had served under Zadok and trusted him, even though following Zadok meant becoming outlaws with him.

Zadok crept along the wall, listening for anything that could still be in the cave. It was a wonder nothing had attacked—

A roar sounded, followed by Zadok's sword swinging towards the creature. Five other men jumped in to finish the creature. Zadok poked the creature. "Light," he called. A torch immediately met his hand, and he crouched for a closer look. A normal cave dweller; a nasty creature the region of Osi'mith called a liat. It was usually anywhere from 7-9 feet tall, three times as wide as a man, and extremely vicious. No one had ever seen a single man take one down. The fights always turned out in the liat's favor. Zadok was glad the thing was dead. "Asher, take some men further into the cave; we don't want any more surprises like this." Asher nodded and left, taking five men with him.

"Now let's get this thing skinned and deboned. We need some food, and this will serve us well."

* * *

A voiced echoed in his head. Zadok smiled. It sounded like Jessa. He missed her. Quickly, he realized it was his men. They were trying not to raise their voices, but he could tell something was going on. He lay there a moment, still a little groggy and thinking of Jessa. Then he caught the words "King Ori" and sat up abruptly. His men saw him and quieted.

"Well, what about the King?" he asked. He looked at each of them. "I heard his name; don't tell me you've all lost your tongues!"

Asher stepped forward.

"My Lord Zadok, the Light is with you. The King has taken refuge in this very cave. The Light has been faithful to you. This is your chance to—"

"To what, Asher? What are you suggesting?"

Asher paused. "For revenge, Lord Zadok. You can end the threat to your life by taking the King's." His words resonated within the group. They waited for Zadok. All their faces were filled with hope; hope that they could return to their families and continue their service for Zadok as free men.

Zadok looked around. "Where is he?"

Asher, Zadok, and the men who had found the King crept forward. Zadok's sword hugged his back. He slid it out quietly, tensing. "There, my Lord. He is there." One of the men pointed ahead, Zadok barely making out the King's head. He looked to be roughly twenty feet ahead of their position. Zadok moved quickly. He was at the King's side in seconds, standing. He hesitated. Lumiel, the King's High Priest, had told him something like this would come. But Zadok couldn't bring himself to harm the King. The Light had chosen Ori for a reason. The Light had also chosen Zadok, but Zadok knew his time for rule was not yet here. He couldn't repay harm for harm. It was not the way he wanted to rule. Zadok cut off a piece of Ori's gear. He regretted having come this far on his men's words.

He led the men back towards the camp. "I will not harm him," he told Asher and the other men. "The Light chose him, and by the stars above, I cannot harm my Lord, the King." When all of his men heard this, some were angered, but most were surprised. They hadn't considered mercy because of the lack of it from their own King; he wanted to slaughter them all. They didn't understand why Zadok hadn't gone through with the kill.

One man stood up. "Sire, if you don't kill him, let me do it."

"No!" he said sharply. "If anyone harms him, that soldier will answer to me. I will not come to power from my own hand or from yours. A start in blood ends in blood. I will not, nor will any of you, be the cause of the King's death." He nodded at his men, then turned away. "Go, rest; you will need your strength. Asher, come with me."

Asher followed Zadok to his spot in the camp. The cave was large enough for all of his men. They would have to move, of course. Unless he didn't go through with what he wanted to do. He checked the surroundings; all clear. He turned to Asher. "I want to confront Ori; not close enough for him to harm me, but to show him I spared his life for a reason."

"My Lord, I do not think that is a good idea. The King doesn't even know we are here. At all. Our lives would once again be in danger. And what good could it possibly do? It might upset him even more!"

Zadok held up the money bag he'd cut off Ori. "He'll know someone was in this cave with him." Asher's eyes widened.

"Sire, why—?"

"To show him how close I was, to show him mercy… mostly to show him that I value him and still call him my King." Zadok's gray eyes met Asher's bluer-than-blue ones. "The men won't understand, but the Voice compels me."

"The Voice? You've heard the Voice?" he said in a hush. Zadok nodded. "But I thought it only spoke to—"

"To Lumiel, yes. I've heard it, though. I know I wasn't hallucinating." He sighed, and sat down on his bedroll. "I can't explain it to them, Asher. To the men. They would think I'm mad."

"Or blessed," Asher noted. He studied his leader's face. "I say you are blessed, my Lord. Didn't Lumiel say this could happen? That the Voice might reach to you?"

Zadok paused. "He did hint at the possibility. But without him here, there's no way to know for certain that what's happening is in any way good." Zadok looked at his hands. He didn't know what to do. Then he heard it. The Voice. It was here.

_**You have done well, my servant. **_

Zadok looked up. Asher stood there, afraid to move. He looked at Zadok with fear on his face. "My Lord?" he whispered.

"All that you have asked, I have done. I do not know what comes next, but I am here, ready." Zadok stood, still staring at the stone ceiling. Asher fell to his knees and buried his face in his hands.

_**Your heart and soul are ready, but your men's are not.**_

Zadok looked at Asher. "Did I not do the same the first time you came to me?" A pause.

_**You did; but how do I know this man is ready? He calls you blessed, yet thinks himself unworthy to be at your right hand.**_ Another pause. _**Zaphan? You think Zaphan should take your place?**_

Asher stood, trembling. His eyes met Zadok's. Zadok's mouth was dry. Asher really though this?

"My—my—"

"Asher, for what reason do you not think yourself worthy? How many battles have we fought together?"

_**He fears he may not be strong enough to protect you when the time comes. And to answer your question, forty- two battles. The first was on the plains of Sarmesh. You were brave and vicious that day, Asher.**_

Zadok nodded. "You never left me since that day. I will not take Zaphan as my guard. You will remain with me."

Asher nodded, then looked up. "Are you to speak to all the men?"

_**No; you and my servant shall. I have done this that you may know my servant's words are true, and that I care. Now, do what you must.**_ The torch flickered.

"It's gone."

Asher looked at Zadok. "How do you know?" Zadok pointed to the torch. "Light always dims when the Voice is done talking."

"It knew my thoughts."

"Yes, it does. It comes when it feels we need the encouragement and fortitude to continue with what we're doing. Come, we've got some planning to do."

* * *

Asher and Zadok made their way to the front of the cave. Asher turned to Zadok. "You're sure about this?"

He looked at Asher. "Yes; perhaps the King will stop the manhunt and we can return." Zadok peeked over the stone that blocked his view of the entrance. No one there. "I hope he is still in the area," Zadok noted, both making their way toward the cave opening. He wanted the King to realize what he'd done. When they reached the entrance, they saw the King several hundred yards off, no guard or soldiers at his side. Rare, but fortunate. Zadok looked at Asher and took a deep breath. They let the men know what they were doing. All were prepared to move.

"My Lord, the King!" Zadok yelled. The King turned at the sound. Zadok knelt, along with Asher. He stood, the King's attention riveted on Zadok's face. "Why do you listen to those who tell you I want you dead?" He held up the money bag he cut off the King's belt. "I was at your side, yet did not lift my hand against you. I told my men, 'I will not take the King's life, for he was chosen and anointed.' Tell me, King Ori; why do you still pursue me?" He could see the King was shaken.

"Zadok, is that you, my son?" Zadok's throat tightened. The King called him son. The King wept. "You are a far more merciful man than I. I hunt you like prey, and you repay me with life. May the Light, whose favor rests with you, guide and keep you. Good bye, my son. I will return to the High City as repayment for your mercy." The King turned back to the path and left, Zadok and Asher watching. They knew his kindness wouldn't last long.

"We need to leave. Now."


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm going to be switching between several people's POVs; this is one of the King's daughters.**

* * *

Jessa hurried to her father's side when he returned from his trip. "Father, did you find him?"

He looked at her, his face cold. "Yes; why do you care when you are my general's bride? Look, here comes your husband now."

Jessa saw him approaching, confidence in his gait, assurance in his face. "My King, we have all men back in the city according to your command." The general noticed Jessa. "Any other orders for the men, Sire?"

"No, J'sen. You may leave." The general hesitated. "What?"

"Nothing, Sire. I'll be in my quarters." He turned and left. Jessa was sure he wanted her to come with him. She admired the general; he was a good leader. But Zadok was better, and everyone knew it.

"My King," she said, bowing to her father. "Let me accompany my husband to our quarters." King Ori nodded and she rushed down the steps. She saw J'sen smile and walked by his side. She enjoyed the general's company. J'sen had come into the King's service long before Zadok, though his age didn't show. Zadok had shot through the ranks in a matter of a year. The Light favored him, and the entire kingdom knew it. Her father became jealous of his fame and put a bounty on his head. He also led several raiding parties in search of Zadok. She had been his wife, but once the King disowned him, he gave her to his new general, J'sen. Her brother asked her if she was okay. She told him she was fine, just confused about their father.

"Don't worry, Jessa. Your father is done with Zadok. For now, anyways." Jessa forced a smile. She'd gotten lost in her thoughts. J'sen passed through the doorway to their wing of the castle, Jessa behind him. "J'sen, what happened out there? I see my father's face and I'm worried about him. He's losing himself."

J'sen looked at her, his helmet in his hands. He placed it on the shelf with his other gear, suddenly tired. "Come; this will be a private discussion for us. Gather the servants, pay them their wages, and send them home. Then we will talk."

Jessa was shocked. "It's only midday. What about supper?"

"Jessa, my love, don't worry about something so little. Send them home."

"Yes, my Lord. As you wish." She bowed her head and went.

* * *

"J'sen, I had Albrie stay to make us our midday meal, and she will be back to make supper. Everyone is now gone. Let us eat." They sat next to each other, and held hands. After a moment of silence, they let go. "J'sen—"

He quieted her. "Let's eat first, then talk." Her mind raced with all the terrible things that could have happened while the men were out searching for Zadok. Had he been captured? Tortured? Could her own father, who claimed at one point to love Zadok as a son, have—have killed him? She didn't entertain the thought. She couldn't. "Jessa? Jessa, you haven't touched any of your meal." She looked at J'sen.

"He's gone, isn't he?"

"Not dead, but gone, yes." She was unconvinced. J'sen set his utensils down and took her hand. "Jessa, your father is the one who Zadok approached. The men were further along the path; some could hear the King talking, but didn't know to whom. When the King came, he told his company to head back here, to the High City. He took me aside when we met to tell me that Zadok had approached him with the money bag he cut off the King's belt. Your father is fine, just shaken and confused as to why Zadok chose to spare his life." He paused so Jessa could have a moment to understand. Her father could have gotten killed. J'sen himself wondered at Zadok's actions. If the roles had been reversed, J'sen wasn't so sure he could have spared the King's life. He wouldn't dare tell Jessa. He saw her trembling. "Jessa, what's wrong?"

"He could have—he should—he could be dead right now! He's hunting Zadok like he's an animal, and –Zadok shows him _mercy_." Jessa was trying to hold back her tears, but it wasn't working too well. Maybe all of the information was too much. She hadn't slept well the past few months. J'sen took her hand. "Jessa, come with me." He gently tugged her hand and got up, leading her towards the bedroom. She pulled her hand away.

"It's midday, J'sen; there is no need to go to the bedroom."

He turned to her. "Jessa, I'm tired and I want to lie down. I thought we could rest together, just for a moment. I want to be with you, and I know you haven't been sleeping well. Please come with me." Jessa looked at her husband's face, her heart torn. He never asked her to rest with him during the day. She took his hand and they went to the bedroom. J'sen's dark hair swept over his tired green eyes. Jessa had to admit, sleep sounded wonderful. Her husband was back, and her father was safe. They undressed and slipped beneath the covers. J'sen hugged her from behind, taking a deep breath.

"You smell so much better than the soldiers," he murmured, slipping into slumber.


	3. Chapter 3

**My Jonathan character... I have to say, I did base him partially on Prince Arthur from the show Merlin. Which I was watching while writing this, coincidentally...**

* * *

Azmaveth yawned, stretching as he woke from the glorious sleep he had after supposedly looking for Zadok. His father had been insistent that the entire kingdom of Osi'mith be searched and saved from Zadok, who apparently was the "source of the scourge" in the land. Azmaveth, or Mav as most called him, knew better. He and Zadok were best friends. They still were, as a matter of fact. Communication between them was scarce and hard to get, but they both strove to keep in touch, no matter the price. Mav stood up and walked out to the balcony, soaking in the sight of the city. In the castle, it was easy to look out over all the buildings and homes that were around the keep. He went back into the room and quickly dressed, hunger consuming his thoughts. His portion of the castle was usually empty; granted, it was only a few rooms and he hadn't married yet. His sister's, on the other hand, was almost always busy and bustling. And fully stocked. He didn't want to sit down for breakfast; that took too long. Just a quick few bites and he was going to be off in the woods, hopeful in finding his usual man for the courier services he required. He headed over to the kitchen on her wing, praying he wouldn't see her on his way. He wasn't in the mood for a lot of questions.

"Prince Azmaveth!" He kept walking, pretending he didn't hear what had been said. "Mav!" He kept walking. Just as he was almost at the kitchen door, someone whipped him around. J'sen. "Mav, I was calling you all the way down the hall. Didn't you hear me?"

Mav looked at him and shook his head. "Must not have. Is what you're going to tell me important, or can it wait until later? I need some food and then I'm out for the day."

"I wanted to know if you had heard anything about what happened with the King yesterday." J'sen looked troubled.

"What? About what Zadok did to my father? The mercy he showed to a man who's out to kill him for nothing? That? Yes, I heard."

J'sen hesitated. "I told Jessa what happened, and she was really upset."

"Why did you tell her? You knew what it would do, telling her our father was almost killed."

"I didn't want her hearing it from anyone else. She hadn't been sleeping well lately, so we spent the day resting."

"Yes, I'm sure you did. Can I go now? I feel like I'm hearing more than I need to." Mav left as J'sen opened his mouth to talk. He didn't much like J'sen. Not that he wasn't a good general, or a good husband. He just wasn't fond of the man. He admired him, especially with the way he handled his soldiers and how well he took care of Jessa. It bothered him how quickly his father found a replacement for Zadok when he put the bounty on his head. King Ori stripped Zadok of everything—his title, his wife, his home. And then to give all of it to whoever became the next general; it simply wasn't right. Mav was used to it, however. King Ori had his good days and bad days, more bad than good lately.

"Hey, Albrie! What do you have for me today?" Mav asked as he entered the kitchen.

"My prince, you need to get yourself some help, like a cook. You know your sister doesn't like it when you roam around over here, especially in her kitchen."

"Well, Brie, if I had a wife, maybe I would. But I don't now, do I? So you'll just have to do." He smiled and grabbed some cakes and honey. "Do you have anything I could take with me on my ride today?"

Albrie looked at the prince and rolled her eyes. "My prince, why do you insist on using all of your sister's help instead of going to the main kitchen, where your father and mother's are?"

"It's homier here than it is there. And besides, they'd make me sit down. I need to go. Thanks for everything, Albrie!" He waved as he left, bundled down with enough food to feed three people. He wouldn't admit it, but his sister's household was like family to him.

He reached the stables and saw that a few of the men had started dressing his mount. V'osi and T'osi were laughing as they saddled the stallion. A white horse with a black mane and black at the feet. No one had ever seen a horse quite like his before. He tossed a saddle bag on the back and put his food in. "V'osi, T'osi, has anyone else come down here this morning?"

"No, sire. Only you. Where are you headed?"

"Nowhere. I'm in the mood for a good ride, is all. If the King asks, tell him that's what I'm doing." Mav waved good-bye and left. He should be taking care of his responsibilities, but at the moment, he needed to know Zadok was okay. He pushed Kyfer hard, wanting to make the rendezvous quickly. It took two hours of hard riding before he reached the village. He slowed, Kyfer's flanks flooded with sweat. He led the horse to the nearest trough, and tied him off. Kyfer needed the water and the rest. Mav went to the closest tavern, hoping that Neil would be there. Neil was never far from a drink, that's for sure. Mav had worn plain clothes, none of his usual royal clothes. He didn't like people to ask questions when they didn't need to. He ordered a drink, and surveyed the tables. He spotted Neil in a corner, talking with some other men. Mav walked over and squeezed his shoulder. "We need to discuss business."

Neil looked at him. "One minute, please."

"Sure." Mav went back to the bar to wait. He was a patient man, and needed a drink and some food. He thought about the food in his saddlebags. He would wait until he got his message to Neil.

"So, what do you need now?" Mav looked at him.

"The usual; a message to my friend."

"It's going to cost you, friend." Mav smiled and pushed a money bag towards him. Neil checked the contents. "I'm not sure this will be enough." Mav looked at him with concern.

"It's always been enough before."

"What you fail to realize is that the king keeps very tight reigns on business conducted in the whole of Osi'mith. What happens if I get caught?"

"It will be enough to get you out."

"How can you be sure?"

"Trust me, Neil; it will be enough. I'm not giving you a cent more." Neil frowned, but nodded.

"I'll take it, then. What's the message?" Mav handed him a sealed parchment.

"Do not open it, or I will find out. I need a response in two weeks' time. Can you do it?"

Neil looked at the parchment. It was plain enough. A common seal. Getting it to the man Mav needed was a little different. That would require stealth and trickery. "You got it, A'osi. Consider it done." Neil didn't care where the man kept getting the money; he was getting paid five delivery wages for one delivery. He wasn't sure how far his luck would get him, though. Hopefully, everything went to plan like usual. "Meet here in two weeks' time. I'll have what you ask for."


	4. Chapter 4

**And back to Zadok. :) This pattern continues throughout the whole of the story. (Which is why the chapters are a bit short...)**

* * *

Zadok sent Asher to get the parchment from the messenger. He couldn't risk exposing himself to the man who delivered the messages from Mav. Both were cautious, and Asher understood the reasons behind the secrecy. When Asher returned, he and Zadok read the note together:

_Z'osi,_

_My friend, I wrote to ask if everything you've done is good so far, and has helped benefit those who serve with you. I hope you are in good spirits, and am inquiring about any needs that may have arisen due to conflicts with your men. If you need more friends, let me know so I can help._

_Always faithful,_

_A'osi_

Zadok re-read the note. "So, he wants to know if the Light is still with you, if you need provisions, and if anything happened that's creating conflict. Or anything you want to tell him about. What are you going to do?"

He looked at Asher. "Tell him what happened with the king. I'm sure he knows, but I want him to know my side of the story. He deserves it. I don't deserve a friend like him, but I'm glad he still believes me."

"Sire, the entire kingdom knows it. King Ori is just blinded by darkness. Also, the courier mentioned that the hunts have started back up again. We may need to move in a few days' time."

Zadok sighed. "Right then. I'm going to start my reply back; you go get some men to take care of providing the messenger with some food and water. He's risked a lot to bring this to me."

* * *

Neil sat at the fire, staring at the flames. He was doing this for his family. The money he gained from doing these particular deliveries meant his family was doing better than most. With five children, he needed these jobs to feed them all. Maybe he would invest in a plot of land for food. It wouldn't hurt.

"Hey Neil! Gold for your thoughts?" one of the men asked, sitting next to him. Neil smiled at the man.

"Was thinking about my family." He looked at the man. "Where are you from?"

"The city of Sarmesh. My wife, Serah, is there, unless she went back to live with her family in Gid. I'm not sure she understands why I'm here." The man shrugged. "No matter; Prince Zadok is the future king."

Neil poked the fire. "How do you know?"

The man looked at him. "Have you not heard that the Light is with him? That the Voice talks to him, and reasons with him? He is a blessed man, Neil. By the stars above, he is the future of Osi'mith."

"I've not heard that the Voice speaks with him. The Voice only speaks with the High Priest. No man has heard it and lived."

"But he does. His guard was there, too. The Voice drives him. And if the Light and the Voice are guiding this man, I'm willing to give my life for his. For the future of our land." The man grew silent, and the two sat there in thoughts of the future and what it might bring. The man shook his head. "No matter, Neil. Dinner is ready. Over there, by the tents." Neil thanked the man, and got up. He was rather hungry after the long ride south. By his guess, he was near the border of Osi'mith and Sen'tieru, one of the other kingdoms in Da'sheen. Close to the village of Rifan, if he remembered correctly. He'd gotten directions to the men from his friend in the village. His life as a courier took him to several surrounding villages and not-quite villages in the land. Only a few were actually annotated in the maps of the area. He'd traveled four and a half days to find Zadok and his men. He usually spent a day resting, and was on his way the next morning. It always took him less time to travel back. Perhaps it would only take three days this time. He should find that man's wife, and let her know he was all right. He turned around, hoping to spot him, but couldn't find him in the band of thirty men. That was strange. He didn't remember seeing the man at any other time he'd come either. No matter; food was ready and hot. He wasn't going to miss this.

* * *

Zadok had just finished the part about King Ori when Asher came through the entrance to the tent. "My Lord, supper is ready. I wouldn't wait. B'osi's been cooking, and it's a good meal tonight." Zadok looked at Asher.

"Could you get me some food? I'm still working on my reply. I'm trying to find a way to disguise the rest of it." Asher nodded.

"Yes, my Lord. It will only be a moment."

Zadok sighed, wishing this was all easier than before. He closed his eyes, his brain whirring with words, trying to find a way to discreetly get his message across to Mav. How Mav had found a man like Neil was surprising. He'd never seen a man who was so dedicated to helping the cause without knowing who exactly he was helping. Of course, Mav was never one to cheat any man out of a fair wage, especially when it was something of this nature. The man knew what he was doing was against the King's orders. Zadok suddenly knew exactly what he needed to say to Mav. He started to write as Asher came back in with a full plate.


	5. Chapter 5

Jessa grew worried. Her father had begun the search for Zadok again. It broke her heart to see him so relentlessly pursuing the man. She never wanted him to become this—this animal. She didn't know who her father was anymore. He was never in the castle. Her mother was left here, along with Jessa. She feared that she would be forever alone, and never convince her father to stop the pursuits. Her brother was leading one battalion, her husband another, and her father the third. She couldn't stay in her wing; it was driving her mad that she couldn't do anything. She walked down the main hall of the castle. She wanted her mother.

"My Queen," she said, bowing before her mother.

"Jessa, you need not be formal. Come, let's talk over a meal." Queen Emariel, known as Queen Mary to the kingdom, beckoned her daughter to the dining hall. Jessa followed her mother. She breathed a sigh of relief. "Is there anything in particular you are craving?" her mother asked, an eyebrow raised.

"No, Mother. Any food will be appreciated."

"No cravings? At all?" Jessa looked at her mother.

"No, Mother. That's not just a subtle way of asking if you think I'm pregnant, is it?"

Her mother tried to hide a smile. "Of course not. Perhaps. Well, let's just enjoy our meal together. We haven't had time like this together for a while."

"It's been a week, Mother. That's how long the King waited until he wanted Zadok's blood again." Her mother looked at her.

"Jessa, you know your father believes that Zadok is destroying the kingdom. He will not listen to reason, not even from me." The queen sighed. "He used to listen to me. Something has taken over him, Jessa. I fear what it might be."

"Not something good, that's for sure. What happened, Mother? The Light used to be with him."

Mary looked at Jessa and forced a smile. "It was. But now—now there is no Light. His heart's been filled with a darkness the likes I've never seen. I have heard of a terrible darkness that has befallen kings before, but this… this is certainly the worst I've ever known. Your brother knows this, Jessa. Your husband knows this as well."

"But why don't they do anything about it? Surely he would listen to his generals!" Her mother looked in her eyes.

"Jessa, they've tried. Believe me; I've been there while they've tried talking and reasoning with him. He will never be convinced."

"I don't understand how he can't see that what he's doing is ruining so many men's lives, including his own family's. I just want him back. The old him."

The queen put her hand on Jessa's arm. "Daughter, we all wish that. But the Light has chosen another, and it isn't your brother." Queen Mary was weary. "No one knows this better than I. Your brother has accepted it, and has supported the man who is to take the throne." She let go of Jessa's arm, the servants bringing in the first plate of food. They waited until the plates were in front of them. Then they held hands and gave a moment of silence before they began eating.

"Do you have any plans for today, Jessa?"

Jessa swallowed a piece of food. "No, Mother. Not in particular. I was thinking of taking a ride to get my mind off of things. Maybe a visit to the market. Nothing much."

"Why don't you and I spend the day together? We can go to the market. I'm not too keen on riding anymore."

Jessa looked at her mother. "How about I go on a ride, and then after I get back, we can go to the market together?"

Queen Mary nodded. "That sounds good. You know where I'll be; come and find me when you're ready to go to the market. I've got work to do now that your father's gone." Jessa nodded. She always took over his duties when he left on the quests to find Zadok. Jessa was glad she would never have to do what her mother did. Her mother left for the throne room, and she went down to the stables. V'osi and T'osi were there, taking care of the horses as usual. "My Lady Jessa," V'osi said, bowing.

"V'osi, you know you don't have to."

"Yes, my lady, but according to your father—"

"Well, he's not here, is he?"

"No, my la—Jessa. What do you need?"

"Could you prepare a horse for me? I'm in the mood for a ride."

"Violet's ready to go, if you're in the mood for her."

"She'll be perfect; I'm not planning on anything strenuous."

"Do you need an escort, my—Jessa?" Jessa suppressed a laugh. It was funny that they were so formal with her when all she wanted was some normalcy.

"That would be a good idea. Who is available?"

"T'osi and I; one of us needs to stay here, though. Oh, Jared—I mean, J'osi's available too. He just joined. Not sure how he's going to do in the service of the King. I'm not even sure he knows how to ride."

"Well, what about you and J'osi? You can give him some pointers, and protect me at the same time."

V'osi smiled. "A good plan, Princess Jessa. I will get the horses ready for me and J'osi."

* * *

Jessa trotted ahead of V'osi and J'osi, glad to be out and enjoying the day. Albrie had given her provisions for lunch, and the soldiers accompanying her could find their own in the woods. She could hear V'osi trying to help J'osi understand how to properly ride. She smiled. She'd learned from her brother how to ride. She patted Violet's head. Violet was a good horse; she'd been one of the King's best mounts until she broke a leg. She never rode quite the same afterwards. Violet enjoyed being out, and Jessa was happy to still have her. "J'osi! Not like that; here, watch." V'osi took his horse, and trotted ahead of Jessa, his knees pressing slightly into the sides of the horse, and feet in the stirrups.

"Your rear doesn't get nearly so sore after a long day of riding. Watch the princess. She's been riding for many years, and is the best in the family."

Jessa smiled. "Don't let my brother hear you saying that."

"The prince knows you're better; he's said as much to me. Come, J'osi; we're going to go over some more. Escorting royalty, certain patrol tactics, and some other stuff." V'osi slowed his mount down to allow J'osi and Jessa to catch up. "The prince himself taught us many of these customs and practices. T'osi and I are pretty much the stable hands for the royal family. You'll stay with us until everyone is recalled back to the city. Then they'll give you a much more proactive role in the ranks."

J'osi managed to get his horse next to V'osi's. "Why haven't you and T'osi become knights yet?" The boy hardly looked more than fourteen years old. He was probably younger. Jessa frowned. Why her father kept insisting on more men was ridiculous. He was demanding boys when he couldn't get the men needed.

"How old are you, J'osi?" The boy looked back at the princess.

"I'm twelve years old, my princess." Jessa frowned.

"Why did you join?"

"I had to; my father died of disease in the last war, and I'm the oldest male in my family. The King required one male from every household in Osi'mith. We were required to come here, to the High City of Amerton, for training. Many of the others came before the King called the men to the search for the outlaw. My town is on the sea, and my journey took longer than most. We had no horse, so I had to walk from Port Umerton."

V'osi was surprised. "That's five days by horse; why did you even bother coming?"

"The King demanded it; they had my name. I didn't want to, but if I hadn't come, they would have come back to kill me. They told me as such."

"Who came to Port Umerton with these orders?" J'osi hesitated. "I know you don't want to get anyone in trouble, but in the laws of Da'sheen, they do not allow twelve year olds to serve in an army. Whoever came with that message was wrong. Now who was it?" The trio had stopped. The horses were feeding. "J'osi, as your princess, I need to know. I will not allow these men to continue serving."

"To be honest, I don't think I remember the names of the men who gave the orders. They called names off a parchment and told us to report as quickly as possible. I never asked who they were."

Jessa looked at the boy, his curly black hair falling in his eyes. "You are braver than most, not allowing me to know who these men are. We need people like you, but you're just a boy. I cannot allow you to serve."

"My—Princess Jessa, please. J'osi will be a fine soldier. The King ordered a male from each family and—"

"And nothing, V'osi. He is a boy. He needs to look after his family, not worry about war. I will talk with the Queen, and I will let you know by tonight if J'osi is to go home or not." She looked Jared. "I am honored that you felt so compelled to serve, but you are needed with your mother and the rest of your family."

Jared looked at her. "My Lady, I have no mother. Only two brothers and a sister. We stay with our father's sister." Jessa looked at V'osi, her jaw tight.

"Go home; take care of your brothers and sister. Again, I am grateful you came to fulfill your duty, but as your princess, I demand you go back for them. They can't lose you as well. When you're older, you may come back if you truly wish. Let's return." She turned Violet back towards the castle, and V'osi and Jared followed behind her.

* * *

After Jessa had washed, dressed and ate, she went to get her mother. She was in the throne room, as usual. Jessa took her place at the left of her mother. She was allowed as her brother and husband were both gone. The Queen smiled at Jessa. "Glad to have you join me." She motioned for the guards to allow the next person through. She had been there for some time; Jessa could tell because of her eyes. They were starting to droop. Once again, it was an old couple.

"My Queen, my name is—"

"What is your purpose?"

"My Queen, we cannot afford to give you a man from our household. I am the last, and too old for combat. My oldest son is only ten because you've taken our other three." Jessa closed her eyes. She couldn't believe her father.

"You are pardoned. Take his name, and demand no more from him. His family has served us most graciously. Give him compensation for his sons' deaths. It's the least we can do for those who give us so much."

"Thank you, Queen." The couple bowed, and left. The Queen looked at Jessa, bleary-eyed but smiling. "It's good to have you here, daughter."

"Have all the cases today been about the order for men?"

"Most of them." Queen Mary sighed, rubbing her eyes. "I need to take a break and refresh myself. Could you continue for a while so I can rest?"

Jessa nodded, knowing her mother probably hadn't eaten lunch because of all the people wanting to have their case heard before the King. The Queen left, Jessa assuming her seat. She had helped her mother like this before. She motioned for the guards to let the next person through. This time, it was a boy. He knelt.

"My Queen—"

"What is it you seek?"

"My Queen, I seek only to serve you and the King. I request permission to join the King's forces." The boy looked up, hope in his eyes. Jessa couldn't understand how her father still commanded the attentions of the people. He didn't deserve such loyalty.

"How many years are you?"

"Eleven, my Queen."

Jessa shook her head. "I cannot allow you to serve; you are too young."

"But, my Queen—"

"I said no; now go back to your father and mother, and do not think of coming until you are of age. Tell everyone you know that this will be enforced. You have to be at least thirteen before we even consider letting you, or anyone else, join. Then you must pass training. Do well to remember." She turned to the scribe. "Take his name and age, then send him on his way." The boy gave the scribe his information, then left with haste. Jessa could tell she'd broken his heart, but she wasn't going to allow boys to join. The next to come through was a man. He knelt.

"My Lady—"

"What do you ask?"

"I wish only to serve the King and his household."

"Your age?"

"Sixteen, my Lady." The man looked at her. "I have had some training, as well."

"Give your name to the scribe, and report to V'osi down at the stables. He will take you from there. We are pleased to have you—"

"Kerry. Or K'osi, as I will now be known. Thank you, my Lady," he replied as he left.


	6. Chapter 6

Mav hurried back to the tent. He needed to leave, or he wouldn't make the meeting with Neil. He hadn't thought his father would start the search for Zadok again so soon. Then again, things were always off with the King. He motioned for the next-in-command to come with him. "I need to run an errand. I need you to lead the men to this location," he said, pointing to the map on the table.

"But, my Lord—"

"You will do it."

"Let someone else run the errand for you; your men need you—"

"No one else can go; it's a delicate matter that requires the finesse of a prince." Mav looked the man in the eye. "I'm sorry, but I cannot allow anyone else to do this for me."

The man bowed. "As you wish, my Prince. The men will be there in three days' time."

"Good; I will find you after I've completed what I need to. I'm leaving now."

"Yes, my Lord."

Mav rode for the night, and switched his clothes before the sun came up. He couldn't risk anyone seeing him in his royal uniform. He rested for part of the morning, then rode the rest of the day. He stopped before nightfall and made camp. He would be there the next morning sometime. He sighed, resting near the fire. He had caught and ate a rabbit and a snake. Now he sat by the fire, thinking. He thought about some of the boys that were with them. He couldn't believe his father accepted boys into the service. He had asked them their ages. Most replied with twelve, some thirteen. There were even some that were eleven. Eleven! He had barely started training at that age, much less been ready for battle. He almost wanted to send them back home. They weren't supposed to be there. Perhaps he could do something when he got back to his—

A snap sounded, catching his attention. He drew his sword. No one was supposed to be here. It was probably just some animal. Maybe a deer. He perked up; that would be some good food. He crept along, cautious. He heard another snap, this time further away. Whatever it was, it was moving too fast for him to catch it. He went back to the fire. He went to pick up the rest of his dinner, but it was gone. Strange. He could have sworn that he hadn't finished it all. Maybe he hadn't really paid attention to how much he consumed. It had happened before. He went to Kyfer to grab his water skin, and found it missing. Something was wrong. His sword was still in his hand, and he clamped down on it. Someone was following him. He took a breath, listening for anything out of the ordinary. With a blur, he turned around and knocked out the person that had been creeping up on him. He was surprised he hadn't found out about the person earlier. He usually picked up rather quickly on those tailing him. He dragged the person to the fire. His face softened when he saw who it was. It was one of the boys from his company of soldiers. W'osi, if he remembered correctly. The boy had red hair, a fair face, and was short for his age. He was probably from one of the villages. No matter. He would send the boy back in the morning. He went for more firewood. He would have to keep watch now that the boy was here. He sighed. Why did these boys feel the need to prove themselves so young? They would have plenty of chances later in life.

He came back to the fire, and sat. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Mav woke the boy at dawn. "Hello." The boy groaned, holding his head. Mav looked at him, angry. "What were you doing?"

"I was following you, my Lord." The boy winced. Talking hurt.

"No one else was to go with me; why did you decide to disobey a direct order?"

"Technically, my prince, you never told us that." Mav wanted to slap the boy.

"But Lieutenant T'osi did, correct?"

"All he said was that you left for a mission by yourself. He never said you alone were supposed to complete the mission."

"I have half a mind to slap you. I am the only one to be on this quest."

"But, my Lord—"

"Are you really arguing with your commanding officer right now? Get us breakfast, then you will leave and go back to the company. No questions, W'osi." The boy bowed, and left to find breakfast.

When Mav was sure that W'osi was heading back to the company, he continued on his journey to the tavern where Neil was. He had lost half a day dealing with the boy. He rode Kyfer hard, wanting to make it before nightfall. The land blurred as he headed to his destination. When Kyfer started slowing, Mav allowed him to. He was close. Another hour, and he was there. Just in time, too. Mav slipped from Kyfer, and headed into the tavern. Neil was waiting for him this time.

"A'osi, I've got what you asked for." Mav smiled, and took the parchment. He gave Neil another small deposit.

"You have earned every ounce of that money, Neil. I will not forget this. I'll let you know if I need anything else." Neil smiled and bid him well. Mav had to leave the town and camp in the woods. He couldn't afford to stay in an inn. Too much of a chance getting caught as the prince. He took Kyfer and left, finding a site far enough away that no one would find him.

When he woke, he opened the parchment. He read it quickly, absorbing every piece of information. The confrontation with King Ori, the message the Voice had given him, the goodness of Neil and the people, and that no supplies or men were required. Mav smiled. Zadok always knew how to survive. Mav hoped that Zadok's time was soon. His father was starting to scare him with his constant need to find and execute Zadok. He burned the parchment. If there was no parchment, there was nothing to trace. He still had some food left from the night before; he ate quickly, and rode to the company. He hoped that W'osi hadn't gotten attacked on the way there. It was a three day ride to the location, and he didn't see or hear anything out of the ordinary on his way back. He quickly changed back to his royal armament before approaching camp. He greeted his second-in-command.

"Everything went well, my Lord?"

"Yes, yes it did. How are the men?"

"They've been searching the area for a day, Prince. A few more days' time, and then we will move to the next location."

Mav nodded. "Good; glad to hear everything is going to plan. Have they found anything of importance?"

"No, my prince. There was a small problem with one of the new recruits." Mav acted surprised.

"Really? What happened?"

"Well, he went missing for two days, and then showed up acting like nothing had happened."

"Was anything done so this wouldn't happen again?"

"Yes, my Lord. He is one of the stable hands for the duration of our deployment." Mav suppressed a smile.

"Very well; see to it that he gets my horse. Better yet, let him be my servant for the remainder of our deployment."

"Yes, my prince. I will send him to your tent at once."

"Make sure he washes before you send him to me. Have D'osi throw him in the river." Lieutenant T'osi looked at Mav like he was mad.

"Throw him in the river, my Lord?"

"You heard what I said; if he doesn't, you will."

"Very well, my Lord."

* * *

W'osi approached Mav's tent, his red hair still dripping with water. "You asked for me, my Lord," he spat.

Mav looked at him, smiling. "Yes, I did, W'osi. Come in; for what you've done, you are to be my personal servant." The boy stared at him in shock.

"But, Prince Azmaveth, I don't understand." The prince looked at him.

"Sit," Mav ordered. W'osi sat in his wet clothes. Mav looked at him. "You are young; you shouldn't be here, but you are. This is a way for me to protect you and keep you safe so you can return to your family. And it's also punishment for what you did. Now, when I ask you to do something, you do it; understand?"

"Yes, my Lord." He stood. "I will start with Kyfer."

"Good; then you can repair my armor, sharpen my sword and dagger, and clean my shield." The boy looked at him aghast. "Remember, W'osi; do as I say." Mav turned back to his work, and W'osi left, muttering under his breath. Mav again suppressed a smile. This was going to be fun.

* * *

W'osi grunted. The prince's gear was so heavy. How did he manage to wear it? He was finally able to get it on the table. He sighed. This certainly wasn't what he thought the service would be like. Then again, he was stupid enough to follow the prince after knowing he would get in trouble for following him. He honestly thought the prince wouldn't notice. All of his friends, and even some of the men in the company, had remarked how good he was at stealth training. He only wanted to know where the prince was going, and he couldn't even find that out. W'osi grabbed a piece of the prince's armor and started banging a dent out.

Another recruit joined him, carrying someone else's armor. "Hey, W'osi; heard you're now the Prince's assistant." W'osi gave him with a venomous stare. "Woah, sorry for mentioning it; you working on his armor?" W'osi nodded. "Why you? Usually the assistant is someone senior."

"It's punishment."

The other boy laughed. W'osi kept banging at the armor. "Wait, you're serious? That's your punishment for missing two days?"

"Yep."

"Good to know; won't be making that mistake." The boy grabbed a piece of armor and started working all the dings and dents out across from W'osi.

* * *

"My prince, it's time to move." Mav nodded. "The men are ready; we move on your mark."

Mav motioned W'osi forward, and they led the company to the new location. W'osi couldn't believe the prince was so mean; he had W'osi doing the most idiotic things. Getting him supper, his drink, taking care of Kyfer, washing his clothes, and working on the prince's gear. This wasn't fair. "Life isn't fair," Mav told him. "These are the consequences for your actions. You do not disobey me, you do not disobey Lieutenant T'osi. That is the point we are trying to make. If you want to continue, you will do this as recompense. Be glad you are not with my father. He would have had you executed." W'osi believed him. Some of the other men in the company had told him about King Ori. The king was not as compassionate as the prince or General J'sen.

W'osi wondered at the prince. He didn't seem to take the mission very seriously. It was as if he didn't want to find Zadok. That couldn't be true, though. His father was the one who ordered the mission. Every last man in the High City was out looking for the outlaw. Prince Azmaveth should be looking for the man in every inch of Osi'mith. W'osi would help make sure of it.


	7. Chapter 7

"Prince Zadok!" A man rushed into the tent. "My Lord, one of the king's companies is drawing near even as we speak!"

Zadok stood. "Who's leading the company?"

"I do not know, my Lord. We only just saw them coming over the ridge."

"Tell the men to get ready to move; we need to keep ahead of them." The man nodded and left. Zadok turned to Asher. "You and I have some scouting to do."

"But who will take care of our packing?"

Zadok smiled. "It's already done."

"You knew they were coming," Asher said, seeing the gleam in Zadok's eyes. "How, my Lord?"

"The Voice; it told me that today a company would be coming to the area."

"Why didn't we move sooner, my prince, if you knew this was coming?"

"Because I know whose company it is." Asher knew instantly what Zadok was planning. He groaned. "What?"

"Zadok, I don't think it's a good idea."

"You don't have a say in it; you're coming with me." Zadok left the tent with Asher in tow. They both had their packs. Zadok went to his second. "Get the men to Ut. We have friends there. Stay for a night, then head for Dibori on the border."

"But, my Lord, it's a day and a half ride, and the company is less than three hours from us."

"Asher and I are going to distract them. Leave my tent, and take the rest with you. We will meet you when we're finished."

"My prince, this is madness! Surely someone else can—"

"Do it," Zadok ordered.

The man growled. "Yes, my prince." He looked at Asher. "If anything happens to him—"

"Don't worry; I'll be dead before he is." The men nodded and parted ways. "Let us go, my Lord; we wouldn't want to keep Azmaveth waiting."

* * *

Asher and Zadok peered down from a ridge not far above the pass. Zadok's men left two hours ago. It looked like Mav's company was making its way towards the two men slowly. "Let's hope they continue coming," Zadok whispered, keeping his eye on Mav. He wanted so badly to shout to him and embrace the man. He hadn't seen his friend for a year. Asher had the hawk ready. Zadok hoped and prayed his aim would prove true. "You might want to position yourself elsewhere, Asher."

Asher looked at his leader. "Prince, you know I can't. I have to be with you. You know this."

"If you don't, the plan won't work." Asher knew he was right.

"Then I'll be in eyesight of you. If I run, you know my plan."

"I do. Now go." Asher crept down the ridge and hid across from Zadok in the woods. Asher signaled to Zadok that he was positioned. Zadok steadied his breath. Mav and his men were getting closer. Soon, he would be within range of Zadok's throwing distance. Zadok glimpsed a boy ahead of Mav; he blinked. What was Mav getting at? A boy? Since when did they allow such younglings to be in the service? Zadok set his jaw. This was the king's doing. Zadok welled with vehemence. He couldn't believe the king would use boys like this. Mav was where Zadok needed him to be. Zadok gave the signal.

Asher whispered to the hawk, and released the bird. He started to crawl further into the woods. The bird flew up and attacked the boy in front. Mav's eyes widened. He knew who this was. "In the woods! They're in the woods!" he shouted, pointing behind himself. Asher was north of them by several hundred yards. He scaled the closest tree and nimbly made his way near the top. He was lucky that he was slender.

Zadok threw his package at Mav. Mav caught it and buried it in his saddlebag. Mav then went to help W'osi with the hawk. Asher called to the hawk, and the bird of prey returned to him. Asher looked at Zadok, waiting to see if he wanted to use the hawk to attack Mav's men in the woods, or to lay low and wait until they passed. Zadok signaled him to wait. Asher whispered to the bird, and the bird left. He sat where he was, hidden from the men below. Lieutenant T'osi came back to Mav.

"Sire, they must have left. You know how these falconers are. Sneaky and crafty folk. I doubt they are still in the area. They could have left the hawk here to bother us and been gone for hours. I say we should go ahead and see about making camp. We can't be more than an hour from where they are."

Mav nodded. "You make a good point, T'osi. Get the men and start ahead; W'osi needs medical attention. That hawk got him pretty good."

"Yes, sire." T'osi went back to inform the men of the plans. Mav walked his horse up to W'osi's.

"W'osi, can you hear me?"

"I thought I wasn't supposed to get hurt, my Lord," the boy spat. His eyes were swollen shut, and scratches covered his head. Mav felt a twinge of guilt, but also relief that W'osi didn't see what happened between him and Zadok.

"I didn't expect this to happen; believe me, I wish this hadn't. I am having the physician help you when we get to camp. Here, I'll lead you once the men are gathered." Mav grabbed the other horse's reins and waited for the general. Within twenty minutes, all the men were back.

Mav looked behind him, then led both horses forward, all the men following.

* * *

Asher and Zadok waited for an hour before they left their positions. They met on the road. "That was close, my Lord."

Zadok nodded. "I hope he gets a chance to read the message. We better start walking ourselves." They went into the woods and started walking from there. They knew how to keep themselves hidden.

Asher turned to Zadok. "That could have gone wrong in several ways. The Light is certainly your friend, Prince."

"I knew it would work; you forget how well Mav and I know each other. We planned for this." Zadok picked his way through some brush.

"Plan? How do you plan for something like this?" Zadok grinned.

"We have our ways."

"I don't think I'll ever understand you."

* * *

Zadok and Asher waited at the base of the mountain by Cu'thair. He hoped that Mav would show. The cave they'd found several months ago was unoccupied. Perfect. Asher had started a fire. Zadok waited by the entrance. He spotted a horse coming towards them, but was unable to see who it was. The horse picked its way towards the fire. Zadok's heart hammered. If they were caught, they would be dead by the morning. He pulled his sword as a precaution. The rider pulled his hood off. Zadok breathed. It was Mav. He put his sword back, then helped his friend off the horse. Zadok couldn't believe it. "My friend!" he exclaimed, joy in voice and tears in his eyes. He hugged him tightly.

"My brother!" Mav beamed. "It is so good to see your face and hear your voice! Come, we have much to talk about."

* * *

As Mav readied his mount before daybreak, he looked at his friend. "I wish we didn't have to meet like this, my friend. If my father could see you are not a threat, life would be so different."

"We know that will not happen as long as he lives. Something has taken hold of him."

Mav nodded, suddenly aware that he would no longer be a prince once that happened. "My brother, make a covenant with me. The Light will grant you the kingship. If any of my house live, say you'll take them in as your own. Your enemies will be wiped from the earth, but let my love for you, and your love for me, extend to my family so they will not be in need should I die."

Zadok smiled. They extended both arms and grasped forearms. "As surely as I live, I will always provide for you and your family, my friend. The love of kin will always bind us." Traces of light twined their arms together. Mav and Asher looked on in wonder. Zadok didn't look surprised at all. It was as if he knew it would happen. The light sank into their arms, disappearing. Zadok smiled at Mav.

"Go, and be well, my friend, until we next meet."

"Go and be well, my Lord." Mav bowed, and mounted his horse. "I will lead the men towards Na'rith, as I promised you."

"Thank you, my Prince." Zadok bowed. Mav put a hand up in farewell. Asher and Zadok did the same. Mav made his way back to Cu'thair and to his camp.

Zadok looked at Asher. "We need to get going ourselves. The men are probably almost at Ut by now. Might as well make camp at Hidden Lake."

"I suppose we're going to walk, my Lord." Zadok looked at Asher.

"Of course not; our horses are just past this mountain. I had B'osi leave them there."

"So this was your plan all along? How long did you prepare for this?"

"I mentioned it in my last note to Mav." Asher stopped.

"You've known for a week this was going to happen?"

"A week and a half," he corrected. Zadok threw a smile at Asher. "It was then simply a matter of finding a way to let Mav know, which was excellent timing by the courier. Look, there's our horses. And B'osi." They hurried to the mares and their man.

"Let's go, gentlemen," B'osi said, holding the reins of both their horses as well as his own.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: I welcome all critiques and reviews. If you have any questions, please ask. Other than that... enjoy! Oh, and this is the chapter that I introduce my kick-ass female. **

* * *

Jessa was weary. It had been several hours, but everyone had been seen. So many young men who wanted to serve. Too young. Families who couldn't provide a son or male because her father had taken them and they had been killed or badly wounded. There were some land disputes, a few pleas for lower taxes, and one had actually asked for her hand in marriage. She immediately had him thrown out of the throne room. The audacity of some men. She rested her head on the tips of her fingers for a moment, and sighed. She was glad no more people came.

The guards opened the door again. Jessa sat up, but groaned inwardly. Instead of the usual men, couples, and youngsters, it was a woman. Jessa found this intriguing. The woman approached and knelt at the princess's feet. "My Lady Jessa, my name is Serah."

"What is your request?"

"I wish to serve the King, my Lady."

"We have enough servants, but thank you for coming." She started motioning for the guards.

"No, my Lady. I wish to serve as a warrior." Jessa stopped. She had never received such a request from a woman. "I am fifteen, I have experience with weapons, and am a good fighter, my Lady; I only want a chance to serve my King like my fellow men are able to," she rushed. She looked up at Jessa, her green eyes hardened like jade. "Please afford me this chance."

Jessa looked at her. "I don't know if I can, Serah. Will you wait?"

"I will, my Lady. I will be here." Jessa got up and went out to get her mother.

"Mother. Mother!" she yelled, hoping the Queen would hear her. The Queen appeared out of nowhere. "Mother, there is a woman who wishes to serve with the men in battle. I don't have an answer for her; I need you." They went to the throne room. The Queen looked at the woman.

"Stand up, young woman." Serah stood. "Why do you wish to serve in this capacity?"

"My brothers cannot."

The Queen cocked her head. "Why?"

"One is unable because of wounds sustained in the previous battle, the other is mentally unable, and my other siblings are much too young to volunteer." Serah stood strong. She certainly would be able to handle the mental games they played on the soldiers. Jessa looked at her mother. The Queen was actually considering it?

"What if I had a different capacity for you, but you could still go through the training?"

"My Queen? What other job would there be?"

"My companion. Or my daughters', should we need it outside these walls."

"I'm not sure if that would be the best idea, my Queen. I wish to serve with the men."

"And I'm telling you that you will not. Do you want the training or not?" the Queen asked. Jessa could see Serah was having an internal fight.

"Yes, my Queen; I will accept. If I do well in this, would there be a possibility to move to a company after?" The Queen quelled a smile.

"Possibly. Report to V'osi in the stables. He will instruct you from there. And Serah, good luck."

Serah smiled and bowed. "Thank you, my Queen."

"Make sure you get your letter from the scribe. V'osi won't accept you without it."

"Yes, my Queen."

* * *

V'osi looked at the letter, then back at Serah. "This must be a fake; there's no way you are supposed to be here."

Serah looked at him. "I spoke with the Queen; she told me to come for training."

V'osi looked at the letter again. The scribe and the Queen's signature were on it. "But you're—"

"What? A woman? Good eyes, V'osi. I'm to be her guard when she leaves the castle."

"But that has always fallen to—"

"To men? Well, maybe she wants to see how a woman does." Serah smiled, itching to get her hands on a sword and shield. "What shall we practice first? Sword and shield? Archery? Flail? Daggers? Take your pick."

V'osi now looked at her a little differently. "Well, we aren't going to be practicing anything today. Be here tomorrow at dawn. Make sure the other recruits are also here." He had a feeling the rest of the recruits wouldn't take kindly to her. He wasn't even very fond of her.

"Where are the barracks?" V'osi hadn't thought of that. He couldn't let her sleep in the same area as the others.

"Stay with me until we can figure that out; you can't sleep with the rest of them." V'osi still had work to do in the stables. He turned around, thinking Serah would just wait until he was done. He grabbed a bucket and started putting feed in each of the stalls. He didn't see her until he turned around. She had grabbed another one and was working her way down the other side of the barn. "What are you doing?"

"I don't do well with sitting around; I was in charge of my family before I left." She quieted, continuing down the line of stalls. V'osi and Serah finished. "So, what next?"

"These are my responsibilities; you don't have to help me."

"But I don't have anywhere to go. So I might as well help you. Isn't there supposed to be another stable hand here with you?"

"T'osi. He's showing the other recruits to their room." V'osi didn't know what to make of Serah. "If you really want to help me finish, you can. We have to brush the horses and check their shoes. All of them."

"Which means—?"

"Usually we have over a hundred horses to check; luckily, since most of them are out, we only have twenty. I can finish it myself."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"You could grab some new shoes, new nails, and that kit over there and follow me. Or you can sit outside and wait."

She wasn't fond of the last suggestion. "I'll grab the supplies."

* * *

Jessa was wondering how Serah was doing. Why had her mother allowed the woman to go through training? A personal guard for her, her sisters, and the Queen? No, there must be another reason. No matter; the Queen was ready to go to the market. She wasn't going to say anything about it. "Ready to go, my Queen?"

"Yes, daughter. Guards," she said, motioning for them to follow. Jessa noticed that the people in the market gave them a wide berth. She felt comfortable with the guards around her. Secure. With only one female guard, would she feel the same way? She shook the thought from her mind. "So, Mother, what was it you needed from the market?"

The Queen looked at Jessa. "Nothing in particular. Just wanted some fresh air and time with my oldest daughter." Queen Mary smiled and Jessa saw a woman twenty years younger in her mother's face.

"Well, I do need to get some more supplies for the kitchen. Mav keeps coming in and making Albrie supply him with food. Can't you get him a cook or something? I'm rather annoyed he keeps coming over for nothing other than food." Her mother laughed.

"That doesn't surprise me, Jessa. Your brother always had quite an appetite. A cook, you say? I might be able to find one. Or you can just give him Albrie. He seems to like her."

Jessa looked at her mother. "Mother, a cook, really?"

"What? It's not like we're going to be here much longer. Zadok's got followers across the land. Pretty soon, we won't be here anymore. He could do worse than a cook in the royal household."

"You really are longing for some little ones to run around the castle, aren't you?"

The Queen shrugged. "Maybe. All of you are growing up, and your sisters are too young to marry. If you and J'sen don't have any soon, I probably won't have any for a good while. I doubt Mav is ever going to marry. He would need someone who could put him in his place." Jessa rolled her eyes.

"Like that will ever happen, Mother." She stopped at a stall to look at the produce. "But here's to wishing."

* * *

Serah had been up for a while. She wasn't someone who wasted time. She doubted they had any sort of armor or practice gear for her, so she started on her own. At least she could take care of herself. She doubted any of the other men knew anything. Well, some might have a little experience, but not like her. Lucky for her, she already had bracers. She just needed a chest piece and some upper arm protection. She would have to find a place to buy some more leather. No matter; it was almost time for her to meet with the other recruits at the stables. Osi'mith had been at war with all three of the other kingdoms in the past ten years. There weren't many men left afterwards. At the moment, there was peace; perhaps because the king was so focused on finding the traitor Zadok. Serah dismissed the thought. She never really heard why or how he became a traitor, so she couldn't pass judgment.

"All right, men…er, and woman. We are going to start training. I want you to pair up, and grab a practice sword and a shield. We are going to work on the basics this morning. This afternoon, we will be working on conditioning." Serah looked down the line; none of the others gave her a second glance. She got a lot of dirty looks, but no one wanted to be her partner. Serah took a deep breath and slowly let it out. She was used to being left out. She saw a practice dummy; might as well get to work.

She worked on her form and technique, concentrating on her movements. Once she started, her rhythm took over and she moved quickly and fluidly. Some of the men had even stopped to watch her. Several couldn't believe it. V'osi was watching her, impressed that she knew what she was doing. Most women he'd seen were only worried about how to use a sword or dagger. Not a sword and shield. She was definitely one of the more experienced in the group. When she finished, V'osi called her over.

"That was actually beautiful to watch, Serah." Serah smiled.

"Thank you; I've been working for a while on it, as you can see." V'osi nodded.

"Want to fight against a real person?" Serah looked perplexed.

"Like, practice with an actual person as opposed to a dummy?"

"Yes; I'm ready if you are." V'osi took his stance, as did Serah. The rest of the group stopped and gathered to watch. The two clashed, dull blade against dull blade. Serah was trying to get a measure of his fighting tactic. She would only need a minute. She didn't doubt that V'osi was doing the same. Give and take, give and take—there! V'osi was caught off-guard. He landed on the ground, the wind knocked out of him. Serah had the blade at his chest. He yielded.

"That was well done, Serah. You certainly have a different style than most." Serah helped him up. V'osi looked around, noticing that none of the others were practicing. "What are you all doing? Get back to practice!" he ordered. The men scattered, taking the field and working through the basic sword and shield moves. "Lazy men." He turned to Serah. "You've had training before. Who taught you?"

"My oldest brother. He wanted me to be able to defend ourselves if anyone tried to steal from us. My second oldest brother wasn't all there, so it fell to me. He's the one that taught me everything I know. He couldn't come back here, so I went in his place. The Queen said that being her guard was the only way I could go through the training to support the King."

V'osi looked at her, pity in his heart. "Well, you certainly don't need this morning's training; be back by noon."

"But, V'osi—"

"Just go; you've already proved yourself."

"Yes, V'osi." Serah left the grounds. It wouldn't hurt to try finding a leather shop, or a blacksmith. She could start working on a set of armor for herself. She was getting ahead of herself. Leather first. She went to the market and started asking around for a leather shop. An older gentleman introduced himself as the local blacksmith and leather maker. "I'm looking to make a chest piece."

The man smiled, a twinkle in his eye. "For your knight, of course."

"No, sir; for myself. And some other items as well. What do you recommend?"

The man looked at Serah, his once jolly face now stone cold. "I cannot help you."

"But, sir, you just said—"

"I cannot help you." Serah could not believe it. He had been so kind before she told him the armor was for her. Perhaps lying in this case wouldn't be the worst choice. She needed the leather. Before she opened her mouth, she realized she had no money. Well, at least she knew where to come.

"Thank you, sir. Sorry for the inconvenience. I will be back later for leather. For my knight." She smiled and waved goodbye. The man watched her leave, giving her no courtesy back.


	9. Chapter 9

**Okay, so here's chapter 9... I'm surprised I've gotten no reviews, no follows, no favorites... Lonely, I'm so lonely... Granted, it is a pretty simple story so far. But no one knows what I've got planned... Mwahahaha...**

* * *

The prince's men were now near Na'rith, searching for Zadok. Mav hoped that Zadok would do as he told him he would. Zadok couldn't be in Osi'mith anymore. He had to cross into Sen'tieru, if only for a reprieve from his father. King Seta would not even bother searching for Zadok. Zadok had led forces against his army, but his thirst for vengeance was nothing like King Ori's. Lieutenant T'osi came into his tent.

"My Lord, the search is continuing, but we can't find any sign of Zadok and his men. Are you sure he headed this way?"

"My instincts say he headed this way. My gut is usually never wrong. Continue searching the mountains. They like the caves around here. It's a perfect hiding spot, and it's where they confronted the King. Tell the men."

"Yes, Sire."

"Before you leave, do you know anything about W'osi's condition?"

"The physician said his eyesight is coming back. The wounds on his head have healed. He is still in the infirmary."

"Thank you, Lieutenant." The man bowed and left. Mav went to go check on the boy himself. He still felt bad that it had been W'osi who got attacked. He reached the tent and entered.

"My Prince, what are you doing here?" Mav motioned to W'osi.

"I'm here to check on him. How is he doing?"

"I would be doing better if I hadn't been attacked by a bird," the boy replied scathingly.

"Animosity doesn't become you, W'osi. You would do well to lose the attitude if you wish to continue serving." He turned to the physician. "How much longer will he be like this? And shut your mouth, W'osi!"

The physician looked at him. "It's hard to say, Prince. It doesn't seem like the bird did permanent damage; the surface wounds have healed. His eyes were swollen because of the scratching around them. That's gone down significantly, but I won't be able to tell if any other damage is done until he can open his eyes normally." Mav nodded, then went and sat next to the boy.

"W'osi, I am truly sorry this happened. Get better, all right?" The boy turned away from Mav. Mav wanted to slap the boy but refrained. He turned to the physician. "Keep well, my friend."

"And you, Sire." The prince left. The physician went over to W'osi and slapped him hard.

"OW!" he cried, rubbing his arm. "What was that for?"

"You are a stubborn, insolent little brat! I have never seen such behavior from a servant to his master! He could have your head, you little twit, and you repay his kindness with arrogance? I've never seen such a thing."

"I got attacked by a bird! He told me I wasn't supposed to get hurt, and I did!"

The physician whacked him again. "You're in the army, you idiot! And were made the Prince's servant." The physician hit him again. "You're bound to get hurt; you have no clue what that man goes through. Now, get some rest." W'osi rubbed his arms, sore after the hits the physician had given him.

"Boys thinking they know better than men," the man muttered. W'osi heard him. "A master who actually cares about what happens to his servant. A prince at that, and the brat still thinks he deserves more. Such a worthless boy." W'osi now felt remorseful. Yes, he had been attacked, but the physician said there might not be any permanent damage. He could rest knowing that he would be okay.

* * *

Mav was seething. That little—he clenched his fists, then relaxed. He couldn't let a boy bother him. It wasn't his fault. The boy happened to be at the front. He couldn't have changed that. The lieutenant told Mav that it would be another two days of searching the caves around the town before they were going to move on. Lieutenant T'osi was a good man. Intent on finding Zadok, but not executing the man. There weren't many who were too keen on that part of the orders. The King was the one that wanted to personally find the man and slay him where he stood. Mav sighed. He didn't want to be out here for another month looking for his friend. It was useless. He knew where Zadok was going; they would never cross paths again until his father was dead. He remembered the covenant with his friend. He looked at his forearms, touching where the light had been.

"My Lord," the lieutenant said as he entered the tent. Mav shook himself from his thoughts.

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

"I have another servant for you while W'osi recovers. He was eager to serve you, so I brought him here. Would you like to see him?"

"Let him in." The man entered, a sword slung on his back, and knelt before the prince.

"My Prince," the man said, his eyes averted. "I wish to serve you."

"Rise; you will do." The man got up and looked him in the eyes.

"Thank you, my Lord." The lieutenant left. Mav looked at the man.

"You are taking a big risk coming here, B'osi."

"I was told to come and offer my services. Technically, I still have my soldier name, so it was easier for me than any of the others."

"But why? I'm not in danger."

"Z'osi told me that someone close to you is not who they seem. He wants someone here to watch over you. Now, what do you require? It is almost time for lunch."

"Get me some lunch and something to drink. We have much to discuss and talk about."

"Yes, Sire." B'osi left. Mav closed his eyes. Where was Zadok getting all these premonitions from? He thought briefly about the last note he'd received from his friend. It mentioned that the Voice was speaking with him. He had seen the Light was with the man himself. Could it be that he was also receiving visions? According to Lumiel, it was possible. Highly unlikely, but possible.

B'osi came in with stew, bread, and a flask of water. The prince grabbed some bowls and spoons. B'osi set down the food and got some goblets. "B'osi, how much does Z'osi tell you about his dreams?"

* * *

Mav hurried to the infirmary when the general told him something was wrong with W'osi. He threw the tent cover back and strode in. "What happened?"

The physician looked at him. "Prince, I'm afraid W'osi's vision is impaired as a result of the attack."

"How badly? Can he see at all? Can I see him?" The physician took a step back, revealing W'osi. The boy grinned at him. The prince blinked. "Are you sure his vision is impaired? He looks fine to me." Mav waved his hand in front of the boy's face. W'osi punched it. "What are you getting at?" he asked the physician.

The physician smiled. "The boy wanted you to see he was all right. His vision is fine; a little impaired, but he will still be able to fight."

"I can be your servant again, Sire!" The prince shook his head. "Why not?"

"I already have another servant, I'm afraid. I need someone who is older, my boy. You have done well, but you need to go home. To your family. You shouldn't be in the service."

"But, Sire, what about—?"

"W'osi, don't. You had your chance, and I know you don't really want to be my servant. You are still young; you can still be whatever you want. You can get an apprenticeship as a blacksmith, or as a farm hand nearby. You don't have to be a warrior; you have nothing to prove to anyone. You've proven enough already. This life is not what you expected, and it shouldn't be." The prince gave him a half-smile and turned to leave. "I'm glad you are well, but go home. That's an order."

After he left, the physician looked at Willem. "I do not know how or why, but you are a lucky boy. The prince rarely lets anyone leave, and you have the chance to go back to your family. I would count your blessings, pack your things and leave now. He may not be so generous later."

Willem hadn't wanted to be let go; he just wanted to serve the prince again. "But why did he refuse to let me stay? I did everything he asked me to!"

"You're going to argue against going home to your family? No one wants to be here, my boy. No one. Not even the prince. Take your things and go before he reverses his decision." Willem got up and ran out of the tent.

He went straight for the prince's quarters, dodging the cooks and repairmen. He slowed down to catch his breath, and heard the prince talking with his new servant. "B'osi, I need you to get my sword sharpened and find someone to take care of Kyfer. We have much to plan, my friend."

"Yes, my Lord. As you wish." Willem saw the man come out of the tent. He was the tallest and broadest man Willem had ever seen. He couldn't argue that the man was worthy of being a prince's protector. It would take an entire squad to take him down. Willem knew something he could do, however.

"Sir, I am here for whatever you need," Willem said, walking up to B'osi. B'osi looked down at him, not too keen on asking a boy for help.

"I'm sorry, but I need someone bigger to help me, little one." B'osi looked around, hoping to spot someone a bit taller.

"Sir, I can do almost anything. I want a chance to prove it." B'osi looked down at him, still unconvinced. "Look, give me a task, and if it isn't done to your satisfaction, you can do what you want to me. It's what I deserve. Please, sir." B'osi nodded.

"All right; your job is to get the Prince's horse ready to ride. Think you can handle it, boy?"

"Yes, sir!" Willem ran to Kyfer to get started on his grooming.

* * *

Mav and B'osi went to get their horses and see how the men were faring. Willem had just finished with B'osi's mount; Kyfer had been a rather quick job, and Willem figured the new horse was the servant's. B'osi was surprised. "Boy, you did both of our mounts?"

Willem turned to the prince and B'osi. The prince looked like he wanted to pummel him. "Yes, sir. I know you told me to only work on Kyfer, but I figured your mount would need work as well."

"I thought I told you to go home, W'osi." The prince bit off his words. Willem could tell he'd angered the prince by staying.

"I was released from service, but I refuse to leave, Sire. I have no desire to go home." B'osi looked at the prince.

"My Lord, this is the servant you spoke of? The boy who was ravaged by the hawk?"

"Yes, B'osi. I told him he was no longer needed, and to go home to his family. Yet he refuses. Why do you never listen, boy?"

"Sire, only lately have I realized how good you have been to me. I spoke out of turn, I defied you, and treated you as the enemy when all you were trying to do was help me. The physician showed me that you are one of the more compassionate men in this kingdom, and I didn't see it until I heard him muttering about me when he thought I was sleeping. I was ungrateful and an idiot. You are a prince, and I haven't been treating you as such. I only wish to repay you for my ineptitude, Sire. And to serve you, if you see fit. I cannot defend you like your servant can, but I can serve you in this capacity." Willem bowed to the prince. He had never felt so unworthy in anyone's presence before.

B'osi and the prince exchanged glances. A boy like this could prove useful. "You truly wish to stay with us, and serve as my stable hand?"

"And other jobs as well, my Lord. Whatever you need me to do."

The men smiled. This boy was truly committed to Mav. "Make sure you repair my chainmail by the time I get back. Then we will see if you are still needed."

Willem bowed. "Yes, my Lord. As you wish."


	10. Chapter 10

**I feel alone... oh well, I will continue to write...**

* * *

"You just had to give Mav B'osi, didn't you?"

"Of course I did! The man's big enough to take care of both of them."

"He was one of our best men, Zadok!" Zadok looked at Asher. "And the best cook we had. Now he's gone."

"You worry too much, Asher."

"And I'm afraid you don't worry enough at times, my Lord. Mav can take care of himself."

"And the boy? What about his servant boy? He hardly looked more than ten, Asher! Who knows if the hawk did any permanent damage to the boy? I can't be held responsible for the death of a boy, especially when it was us that caused his plight."

"My Lord, I'm sure the boy is fine. The hawk distracted him, nothing more. Though, the hawk did suggest the boy was loyal to the King's cause, not to ours."

Zadok looked at Asher. "The hawk told you this?"

"Well, not directly, but—you know, in my mind." They continued pouring over the maps. "Prince, what about crossing here, and entering the forest up by the Lake of Dibori? It would be a good place to camp for a bit."

"We'd be too close to Rifan. We just came from there."

Asher pulled the map closer to him. "But if we went into the forest closer to Senthu, no one would know. You know that King Seta doesn't send his patrols through that forest."

"I also know that J'sen knows that forest like the back of his hand, Asher. Unless I know for sure he will not cross into Sen'tieru, I'm not going to chance the forest." Zadok looked at the map again. "What if we were to head for the mountains here? There's a bit of forest, and there will more than likely be some caves we can use for shelter." He looked at Asher. Asher studied the map.

"It would probably be better if we went to the mountains above Amet. We'd be in Then'atul, but King Dathan never sends his patrols that far south."

Zadok shook his head. "General D'then does. That man is almost as bad as our King. I'm telling you, the mountains in Sen'tieru would be better."

"It's in the middle of nowhere, my Lord! If we have to move again, we are too exposed. We need another voice in here to reason. I'm getting the only one who can convince you that what you're doing is a bad idea."

Zadok stopped him. "Asher, how is that fair? I'm going to get someone who's more level-headed. It's the only way that's fair to both of us." Zadok left the tent, Asher behind him. They almost never agreed on things like this.

* * *

The man they had brought into the discussion looked at the map, considering Zadok's and Asher's propositions. "From our current position, it would be closer to go to the mountains in Sen'tieru." Zadok grinned at Asher. "However," the man said, "if you consider the next move, it would be a very dangerous bid, and would force us too close to Verthul. The mountain range there is pretty long, but it would be hard to conceal ourselves on the way there. And the King would pretty much know we were there."

"Ha!" Asher smirked at the prince.

The man shook his head. "Your plan isn't that great either, Asher."

"Now hold on here—"

"Yes, the mountains above Amet would be a good place to go. But like Zadok mentioned, General D'then is a ruthless man, almost worse than our own King. Anything beyond the mountain, we most certainly would be caught and strung up."

"That leaves nowhere to go but—"

"Iri'neethim. I know. And they have no mountains or forests, for the most part. But the King and his general have no qualms with Zadok. J'sen was the one who led the King's forces against them in the war. You were an outlaw at the time, Zadok. Now, the way there is going to be hard. We are near the sea, but I'm not sure if we could get a boat to get us to Lisen. Gaiome would be a better bet. It's going to cost us quite a bit of gold, but the mountains are right there, and I have no doubt the people won't say a word. They hate King Ori as much as we do. If we can do some recon, I also have a feeling that some of the people live in the cliffs near Hinem. This is my honest opinion, and I think it's the best idea." Asher and Zadok looked at the man, then back at the map.

"We never considered Iri'neethim, my Lord. He has very valid points for going there. What are your thoughts?"

Zadok looked at his men. "I need time to think on this. We all do. Thank you each for your opinion." Asher and the man left. Zadok immediately sat and looked up at the ceiling. "I need help." He waited. He didn't know who else to go to. He already had Asher's opinion, he knew what he wanted to do, but he wasn't sure if this was going to be a good idea. He buried his face in his knees. Night was coming, and dinner had come and gone. He wasn't hungry; he just wanted an answer. He laid down, his mind restless. His body was so tired, but his head wouldn't let him fall asleep. He stared up at the tent ceiling, mind whirring with what-ifs. He closed his eyes, and opened them again. But this time, there was no ceiling. Just stars, twinkling and blinking in all their glory. Zadok was confused. His arm was behind his head. He hadn't been like that when he closed his eyes. He pulled himself to a sitting position, looking around. No one else was there, but he could see mountains behind him and a city on his left. A port. He headed towards the city. He kept looking at the mountains; they were magnificent. He'd never seen these before. He started running. He had to know where this was. As he approached the city, he pulled up. He could see lights in the cliffs. It was Iri'neethim. It had to be.

**_Zadok, my servant, this is the answer you seek. The man whose opinion you requested is there for you. He agreed to be next to your side, so I allowed him to become like you._**

"What do you mean, become like me? I am but a man."

**_The man I gave you is more than a man. He is like me, and now also like you._** Zadok stared at the sky, not comprehending the Voice's insinuation.**_ The man who told you about Iri'neethim is my own. He requested to guide you, my servant. He will only leave when you no longer have need of him._**

"So…. He's your son."

**_If that's the best way for you to think of him, then yes. He is my son. When the king is no more, he will return to me._**

Zadok never thought the Voice would do something this drastic. "Why would you send him to us? Isn't he needed with you?"

**_You need him more than we do. And he insisted on helping. _**

"'We'? What do you mean by that?"

**_The Light and I are one. As well as the man who is with you. He is one with us. _**

"But that makes no sense."

**_Not now, my servant. In time, it will. Just know that we are working for the good of Da'sheen, and we are raising more like you in the other kingdoms. I have servants everywhere; you are to be the one that unites them all. Right now, this is your path. Take heed of this vision, and leave as quickly as possible. Even now, the King is closing in on you and your men. You need to let the other groups know to head to Iri'neethim. Send Zaphan. He knows the region best, and is the most loyal to you apart from Asher. Now go, my servant. We are with you._**

Zadok woke abruptly, startled. He whipped his head around, his vision blurry. He rubbed the gunk out of his eyes, and ran to Asher. "We need to leave now; get the word to the men. We leave in an hour." Zadok saw the man they'd asked advice from. He nodded at the man. The man already knew what was going on. He quickly started packing his things. Asher had already gone to the men; everyone started scurrying. Zadok went back to his tent and threw his pack together. He needed food. So did the men. He didn't know what to do. Zaphan. He needed to find Zaphan. "Asher! Get Zaphan!"

Within moments, the man was standing in front of Zadok, ready to go. "What do you need, Prince?"

"I need you to get word to the other groups to head for Iri'neethim. We will be in the caves and cliffs near Hinem and Gaiome. You know the area best; the man over there," Zadok pointed to the man who had helped them the day before, "he knows where to find the rest of the men. Get directions from him, and meet us there as quickly as you can."

"Yes, my Lord." He bowed and left. Food; they still needed food. Zadok hurried to Aron.

"Any idea about food?"

"Grab and go, Sire."

"What do we have?"

"Nothing, Sire." Zadok grew frustrated.

"Nothing? At all? Not even bread?"

"We have some, but not enough for everyone, and Zaphan needs it more than we do."

"The King is almost here, Aron. We need food."

"Yes, Sire; it will take longer than the time you allowed us to get ready to prepare."

"Just do it, Aron."

"Yes, my Lord. You two! Get over here! I'm going to need your help." Aron and other two men quickly hashed out a plan, and grabbed what they could from the outskirts of the camp for breakfast. One of the men had found some fruit. He picked as much as he could, and was distributing it to the men while Aron and the other man made something else.

* * *

They managed to be on the road within an hour, thanks to the quick thinking of Aron and the others. Zadok and Asher led the group, and everyone was on the look-out for any sign of the royal colors of Osi'mith. Zadok's heart was pounding in his chest. Maybe Asher was right, maybe he should take matters like this more seriously. He drew his blade, not wanting to be taken off guard.

"My Lord, you're going to waste energy holding that the entire way," Asher told him quietly. He looked behind at the other men. "You're also going to scare the men. Why don't you put your sword back, Zadok?" Zadok looked at his friend. Then he caught the eye of the man who had told them to go to Iri'neethim. The man looked at Asher, then at him, as if to say Asher's advice would be wise to heed. Zadok sheathed his sword, and faced forward. Maybe he was overreacting. Yes, that was it. The King wasn't as close as the Voice had said he was. He couldn't be. The Voice would never put him in harm's way. A shout came from the back. Someone had spotted the blue and silver banner. It wasn't just a company; it was the King himself. Zadok looked at the man behind Asher. He was gone. Zadok blinked. "Asher, what happened to the man behind you?"

"No offense, my Lord, but I think we need to worry more about getting to safety than about him." Zadok looked around for him and finally found him going the opposite way they were. He was going towards the King's men. Zadok immediately turned his horse around. "My Lord!" Asher exclaimed, whipping his own mount around. "What are you doing?"

"He can't be caught, Asher! We need him!"

"My Lord, he knew what he was getting into when he joined you! You can't help him! If he wants to risk his life to give us time, let him! We need to get to safety!"

"I can't leave him, Asher!"

"Then I'm coming with you!" They sped their horses down the trail, his men scattering in every direction and taking cover. The man he was trying to save kept heading towards the King. He looked back at Zadok with a grin on his face. Zadok pulled up, Asher doing the same. "I don't understand, my Lord. Why is he heading towards the King, and why are we following him? We need to continue the other way."

"I know, but I need him, Asher." Zadok was puzzled. That man was a man, but also more than a man. Was there something he could do that Zadok couldn't? He didn't know, and he wanted to know. Zadok and Asher watched the man as he made his way to the King. The King's company parted, allowing the man through until he was in front of the King himself. The King appeared to look straight through Zadok and Asher, even though they were on the road directly in front of the King and his company. He focused on the man, and seemed intent on his words. Zadok was sure his eyes were deceiving him. He put his hand up. The King paid no attention. Zadok waved his arm, wondering if that would get his attention. Still no reaction. Zadok waved both arms. Asher thought Zadok had finally lost it. Still no change in the king's focus. Zadok and Asher looked at each other. They turned around and ran towards the ocean, gathering the men as they went. Soon, all of his men were behind him. They didn't bother looking back. Somehow, Zadok knew he was all right. They approached Port Umerton and slowed. This part would require someone who wasn't so well known. Before Zadok could grab one of his men, the man who had been talking with the King showed up. "Don't worry, my friend. We already have a way to Iri'neethim. Follow me." Asher looked at Zadok with questions in his eyes.

"Trust him, Asher." All of them followed the man to the docks. The man seemed to be looking for someone in particular. He stopped in front of a boat that looked barely large enough for the men. "Excuse me, sir, is this boat able to take us to Gaiome?" The captain, a man who looked barely into his forties, looked at the cadre of men and the horses.

"I won't be able to fit all of them on here. The horses would have to be left behind if everyone was to go."

"Of course." The men looked at Zadok, confused. Zadok went up to the man.

"Do we really have to leave the horses?" he asked the man. The man looked back at him.

"We're not leaving them; they're going on a different ship. It would look suspicious if thirty men and thirty horses were on a boat. The horses will have to be shipped on a larger vessel." Zadok hadn't thought about that.

"You're right, of course, but how are we supposed to pay for both ships? That's more than we have." The man dismissed him.

"You worry too much."

"And it seems like you worry too little."

The man gave a faint smile. "Think I've heard that before, but it was Asher telling you." Zadok smiled, and took the man's horse. The man negotiated with the captain, and they exchanged monies. "We'll be back in an hour," the man promised the captain. "Be ready to go."

The man took his horse and led the men to a bigger ship that was already headed for Gaiome. It had plenty of room for the horses to lie down and be comfortable on their way to the port. The men started loading the horses on the ship. "Thank you, Captain. We appreciate your help; we will pick them up when you land."

The captain nodded at the man. "All right; we will be expecting you." They shook hands. Zadok had taken the man's horse down for him. Once the horses were settled, all the men headed back to the other ship. Zadok went to the man who now led them. "What is your name, good man? We have gone all this time without it, and I cannot keep calling you 'man'."

The man grinned. "Call me Rex. I've been called worse than 'man' before."

"From man to king? That's quite a leap, Rex. Thank you for all that you've done. We have quite a journey ahead of us."

"Yes we do, my Lord. The men are aboard. Let's join them and be on our way."


	11. Chapter 11

Serah had worked out a deal with V'osi and the Queen concerning her leather armor. She did the shopping for the recruits' needs, which included her own. The leather worker, once he saw her with V'osi in the shop, was now only too glad to help her with what she needed. It was ridiculous how people couldn't accept a woman in the service. She would never tell the man the truth. She couldn't say anything to anyone but V'osi and the Queen. They were the only ones beside the Queen's daughters who knew why she was there. Serah had been thinking about all this as she worked the leather into a uniform for herself. V'osi had let her work on her uniform during training because she knew most of it already. He would test her, the other men would watch, and she would do very well. V'osi constantly used her as a demonstration for certain techniques. The fact that she excelled made it easier for the men to accept training from her. Some had wanted to test her, and she let them. One had come very close to beating her, forcing her on her back. He hesitated too long, and she managed to reverse their positions in a matter of seconds. "No mercy," she replied to the others. "I know the other kingdoms don't have women as soldiers, but they do have boys. You cannot hesitate if you have the opportunity to succeed. It's them or you; personally, I would want my life to continue, not theirs." Serah picked up her chest piece, examining it and fitting it to herself. It fit well. Satisfied, she set it down and looked at the piece she was using for the back. She had to make it fit under her plain clothes. She was to be a hidden guard for the women of the royal household. No one was supposed to know. She decided it was probably better to work on a way to hide throwing knives in her clothes than a back piece at the moment. V'osi walked in. "V'osi, what is it you need?" She stood up quickly, not wanting to appear too eager to help the man. He was a good man, and Serah had to admit, he did look good in armor. Her heart beat a little faster when he was around, but maybe it was because her future rested in his hands.

"Working on your gear, I see. Nothing new. Come, we have some training to attend to." V'osi walked out of the workshop with Serah behind him. He led her to the training area where the rest of the recruits were. "Are you ready?" he said, picking up his sword and shield. Serah quickly grabbed a sword and shield of her own.

"Of course. C'mon, let's see if you can beat me." She smiled, enjoying every second of the exercise. V'osi initiated, and Serah and he went back and forth in a routine that they had been practicing and working on for this particular moment. It was advanced sword play and weaponry. Serah managed to disarm him from his sword. He quickly grabbed a spear and started towards her. With the range of the spear, he quickly disarmed her as well. She grabbed another weapon. They ended up using every weapon they had available to make the other yield. Serah still had her shield after V'osi made her lose her last weapon. He advanced, grinning. Serah wasn't about to let him win. Not without a fight. She waited until he was close enough to strike, then shoved him with the shield. He hadn't expected that strong of a push, and was caught off balance. He fell on his back, and Serah went for a blow with her shield. He caught it with his own, and kicked her off of him. She hadn't been prepared for that. He was on top of her, ready for a finishing blow. She yielded. Exhausted, he got up and offered a hand. She took it, and they both stood, breathing heavily. The other men cheered. V'osi laughed, and Serah tried to hide a smile. He was the first to beat her in any exercise thus far.

"That was one of the best ways to show you all the different ways you can use the weapons we have available. Advanced sword play and weaponry. I hope all of you were paying attention to what was happening as we battled."

"Yes, V'osi," the recruits replied. "Way to go!" someone from the back yelled. The others laughed.

"Enough," V'osi said, all manner of humor now gone. The recruits grew quiet, and listened intently. "Pair up and start practicing. Swords and shields to start; once you disarm your partner from one weapon, let him pick up another. You may begin." V'osi watched the men peel off from the group and fan out around him. Serah had finally caught her breath, and went to stand next to V'osi. He looked at her and smiled. "That was good, Serah; you are by far the most experienced person here, and the best warrior hands down."

"Thank you, V'osi. That means a lot." She watched the men as they worked through the weapons. "Is there anything else you need, V'osi?"

He nodded, then walked to the stables. That usually meant he wanted to talk to her alone. She followed. "Serah, I know you want to complete the training with the men, but they are holding you back. You don't need this training anymore. You never did, so why did you really come here?"

"I wanted to prove to myself and my brother that I could do this. He warned me against coming, and told me they would never allow me to be here. For some reason, the Queen decided otherwise. Because of her trust in me, I had to come. She expects me to protect her and her daughters. I can't dismiss any of the training you have for us."

V'osi leaned against the wall. "I already told the Princess you were done with training. You report to the Queen tomorrow morning. This training is for men who do battle. You have enough knowledge and experience that you will be fine as their guard. You just proved it in the training we completed. I barely won, you realize."

Serah gave a small smile. "Yes. V'osi, are you sure this is going to be okay? That I'll be okay?"

He took her arm and looked her in the eye. "Serah, you are the strongest, most stubborn woman I know, and one of the best fighters I've seen. You will do more than okay. If you want or need some practice, come back and we can spar again. I won't go easy on you," he promised. "You do need to get to work on finishing your armor though. Remember, the Queen is expecting you tomorrow morning. Princess Jessa has more details for you. She requested that you stay with her tonight."

She nodded. "Thank you, V'osi. I won't forget everything you've done for me."

"You've taught me a few things yourself. Visit any time." He smiled, and left her to get back to the men.

* * *

Jessa had one of the servants prepare a room for Serah. She was done with training, apparently, and according to V'osi himself, she was the best one in the group. Jessa still didn't feel very comfortable with just Serah to guard her and her family. She was a young woman, not a seasoned guard. Jessa cleared her mind from these thoughts. The Queen wanted Serah as a guard, and they were to have her as such. Jessa doubted that Serah had many clothes, so she had gone to the seamstress with some of her older dresses so she would be believable as a courtier for the household. Jessa was fairly good at sizing, and knew the dresses would fit her well. She was just about to go and pick them up when Serah arrived carrying her leather armor. "My Lady," she said, curtsying.

"Come with me; I'll show you to your room for tonight. My mother will give you better quarters tomorrow." Jessa turned around and walked to the room she had just passed. "Here it is; if you want, you can drop that off and come with me to get your dresses."

"My Lady? Dresses?"

"Did you bring any with you when you came?"

"No, Princess, I did not."

"Then hurry; we need to get them before dinner." Serah opened the door and placed her armor on the table in the room. She came back out and shut the door. "Why do you have that?" Jessa asked as they made their way down the central hall.

"Have what, Princess?"

"Those leather pieces. What are they for?"

"They're for my protection, Princess. It's the armor I plan to wear under my clothes." Jessa stopped, as did Serah. "What's wrong, my Lady?"

"No one told me you were wearing anything underneath your clothes."

"My Lady, surely you know that if I need to combat anyone, I need protection. Chainmail and steel are too obvious, so the leather is the only thing I can use to protect myself."

"Well, the dresses aren't going to fit properly then. Go, grab your armor. Dinner will have to wait."

"My Lady, is this really—?"

"Go get your armor, Serah. We need to fit you, and if you're to wear that under your clothes, we need it. Now go get it."

"Yes, my Lady." Serah ran to her room and grabbed her things off the table. She came back with her gear, and they continued walking. "We could just grab some food from the kitchen and eat on the way there," she suggested. Jessa gave her a glare. "Or we can go do this now, and sit down for a meal later." Serah grew silent. Jessa couldn't believe she had even suggested such a thing. Of course, she seemed like the type of person who couldn't sit still for long. She inwardly smiled as she thought of her brother. He was the same way.

They made their way through the castle until Jessa found who she was looking for. She greeted the woman warmly. "I gave you some dresses earlier to take in, but I'm afraid we've overlooked something important."

"Of course, Princess. What is it?" The woman looked happy, and was only too glad to see the Princess.

"I need to wear this under my dresses," Serah replied, holding up her leather armor. The seamstress looked appalled.

"No woman wears leather under her dress! Princess, what is this all about?" the woman asked, flustered at Serah's armor.

"She needs to wear it, I'm afraid. It's supposed to help her with her condition."

The seamstress nodded. "Ah, I knew there was a reason; back troubles, my dear?" Serah looked at the princess, who gave her a slight nod. Serah faked a smile.

"Yes, ma'am; back troubles. My father had them, and his father as well." The princess smiled in relief. "Where would you like me to get ready, ma'am?"

"You can use that screen over there, dear. I'll get the dresses." The seamstress left. Jessa gave a huge sigh. She hoped this wouldn't take long.

* * *

Serah hadn't expected the fittings to take so long; apparently, the princess was surprised it was so quick. Serah had redressed, and they were on their way back to the princess's wing of the castle. She was to attend supper with her, and then retire to her room until the next day. The dresses wouldn't be ready until tomorrow afternoon. Her meeting with the Queen was tomorrow morning. She only had one other set of clothes, and it wasn't a dress. "It will have to do until we get your dresses tomorrow afternoon." Serah went to her room to drop off her armor. She sat down at the table, and took a moment to soak the sight in. A rather large bed with a canopy, plain linens and a blanket covering the bed, the table she was sitting at, and a bedside table. An armoire sat across from the bed. There were banners decorated with Osi'mith colors above the door, but no other decorations adorned the walls. It was a rather plain room for royal standards, but for Serah, it felt massive. Her entire family could live in this room, comfortably at that. She took her dagger out and started tracing the wood grain on the table with the point. A knock at the door startled her. She got up and answered.

"The Princess requires your presence, Serah."

"Thank you; I will be right there," she replied, sheathing her dagger. The servant left, and Serah took one more look around the room before she went to the dining area. Tomorrow would bring new surprises.

* * *

The Queen looked at Serah in her clothes and armor. "So you've completed training."

"Yes, my Queen; V'osi was a great teacher and guide." She stood before the queen with her hands placed behind her back. A proper way to address those of higher rank. Her long ash-blonde hair flowed down her back. She hadn't bothered to put it up that morning.

"Yes, he is. He also told me that you are an exceptional warrior, better than the men he has with him now. He has been informing me of your progress since you started, Serah. I know everything that has happened to you since you were sent to train with him and the other men. Your skill is rivaled only by that of my son."

"You are too kind, my Queen." Serah bowed her head, honored at her words. "But V'osi himself bested me yesterday before telling me of your orders."

The Queen smiled. "Well, from what I know, that's the only time anyone has done so. Are you ready for your new duties, Serah?"

She bowed again. "Yes, my Queen. The princess has made sure I have the necessary clothes for my position, and I have worked on my armor as well. It is ready for use, and I have a few more things I require for my duties that only I can complete. Everything should be done come nightfall."

"Very well, Serah. Welcome to the court of King Ori. Now, my younger daughters want to go visit the orchard; can you arrange to be with them this afternoon? I have a lot of work to do."

"As you wish, my Queen." She bowed. "Where will they be, and when should I be there?"

"They will be somewhere in the castle, and when you find them, you can leave." Serah groaned inwardly. So she was a babysitter. Great. Well, at least she had the morning. She should finish her other essentials before grabbing the girls and leaving. "Oh, and your new quarters will be with my maids, Serah. They have already prepared a bed for you."

"Yes, my Queen. I will gather my things, and move them there this morning."


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: So yeah. I'm definitely writing this because I love writing. I have a ton more chapters that I'll probably be adding later, but I wanted to let whoever got this far reading to know. I now have to go back and change some of my story to match this. Anywho, hope you enjoy! And please review or comment! Would be much appreciated!**

* * *

Mav and the lieutenant had been discussing where to move next when one of his men entered the tent. "My Prince, your father is coming. His company is almost here." Mav and the lieutenant went out to see. His men had started a quick clean-up of the site, not wanting the King to see the flagons of mead or ale that were scattered about the camp. Mav was rather relaxed about such things; of course, he didn't expect to find Zadok either, so there was no harm in his men indulging themselves every once in a while. The King thought differently. He had decreed that no drink shall be consumed that had the ability to impair his men's judgment. His company was composed of the most loyal of his men. Every one of them would rather die for their King than disobey any of his orders.

Mav made sure the men had gotten everything that was contraband to the King's policies into a single tent so they wouldn't be in trouble. "Guard it with your lives, or my father will find a way to punish every last one of us." His men understood, and posted guards on both sides of the tent.

Mav went to greet his father. "My King!" he exclaimed, kneeling as his father rode to him. King Ori stopped his horse next to his son.

"My son, it is good to see you." Mav stood and helped him off the horse. They embraced. "How goes the search?"

"We have scoured every cave in the mountains behind Na'rith, my King. Nothing."

"We were on their trail, I was sure of it, until a man came riding along and warned us about a group of thieves that was waiting for us. We must have lost them somewhere along the way, and started following the thieves instead. The thieves found out who we were and were planning on ambushing us further down the road."

"How did this man know all this?"

"He said he couldn't help them with their plan, and came to warn us about them. He'd been with them when we started trailing them instead of Zadok."

"Sounds like a man with a deep love for you, my King. Hard to find these days," Mav replied. He would have to write to Zadok about this. "Where do you think Zadok went, Sire?"

"He could be anywhere. I doubt he is in Osi'mith anymore. With our men out searching for him and the others, he probably left and crossed over into Sen'tieru. We're not allowed to go over, but J'sen could. He knows that area better than any of us."

"What are we to do, my King?"

"I came to let you know that we are heading back to the High City. There is no need to be out here when we know he is no longer in Osi'mith."

"The men will be glad to hear it, Sire, as am I." Mav turned to look at his father. They smiled at each other. "Mother will be happy. She thinks you go out too often, and she's right. Your place is with her, in the castle. It will be good to be back and take things easy for a while." His father nodded, suddenly taken away in memory. "Come, let's go to my tent and talk in private." King Ori agreed.

* * *

Willem had tried to get a glimpse of the king, but he was too small to see through the men and the other boys. Prince Azmaveth had taken the King into his tent, and they were not to be disturbed. Willem wanted so badly to go to his master and ask if needed anything, just to see the King. He knew that the Prince would have his head if he did, so he refrained. He went to the horses to make sure Kyfer had everything he needed. It was the least he could do. He had been surprised the Prince allowed him to continue. Everyone else told him he was a fool for not leaving when he had the chance. "Back with your family, or being out here, and you choose to stay here. What is wrong with you, boy?" Truth was, he felt more at home in the woods than he did in the cities or villages. He didn't mind living out in the middle of nowhere. Of course, that's what he had done before joining the service. After his family had been killed by a passing band of thieves on the outskirts of the city of Dibori, he kept to himself and to the woods. No one found him there. When he learned about the King's declaration for males, he headed to the High City and joined. He used his father's name and told them his father was dead. They never asked about the rest of his family. The King himself had accepted him and sent him through training. They just let him pass because the King wanted more men in his service. He could barely hold up a sword long enough to use it. Willem honestly didn't know where he would have ended up had he not joined. All Kyfer needed was food and water; everything else looked good. Willem patted the horse on the nose, and went to get his provisions. The horse gave him a nudge of thanks before he started on his meal. Willem then went to get himself some dinner. He then wondered if the King and the Prince had eaten yet. He quickly dismissed it. B'osi would have taken care of it already. Crap! He forgot the man had told the Prince he was leaving for the city on an errand. He hurried to the Prince's tent. He told the guard he was there to see the prince. "The Prince and the King are talking, boy. What do you need to ask him?"

"If he and the King need supper." Willem waited patiently as the guard went inside. A moment later he came out, and nodded to Willem. He ran to the head of the line, the men behind him barking at him to get to the back. "I need food for the King and the Prince," he gasped. The cook quickly doled out two bowls of stew and added a hunk of bread to each. He would have to get their drinks later. He made his way past the men, careful not to spill a drop on his way to the tent. He stopped and the guard pulled back the flap. Willem entered, back straight and standing as tall as he could. He brought the meals to the prince and the king, and set them on the table in front of them. "My King," he said, bowing. He then turned to the prince and bowed. "My Prince. Enjoy the meal; I will be back with some water." He turned and left in a hurry to get them something to drink.

* * *

Mav hadn't even thought of supper until the guard had come in and inquired about it. When Willem came through the tent door, he remembered that B'osi had business in the city. When the boy left, he and his father gave a moment of silence before they started eating. "So that is your servant?" the King asked, dipping his spoon into the bowl.

Mav nodded, his mouth full. He swallowed before speaking. "He was assigned to the company, and I figured it would be best if he was my servant. He's far too small to be out on the search. He is my stable hand, and does other things if I need him to. I do have another servant for when we do our searches, of course, but he is occupied at the moment."

"I allowed that boy to join?" the King asked, frowning.

"Yes, Sire. From what I remember, he said you allowed him into the service."

"I didn't think he would pass training; I must have been a fool to let him in."

"You said you wanted more men, and you would be willing to take boys if there weren't enough men. He came, you said yes, and he's here. A lot of the boys here aren't as lucky as him. They've been out on the searches, and most of them were injured because they weren't used to wearing the armor." Mav took another spoonful.

Willem came back in with a skin of water, and retrieved two cups. He placed them on the table and poured them their drinks. "Thank you for allowing me to serve you, my King and Prince. If you need anything else, I will be outside the tent." Willem started for the door.

"Willem, wait. The King would like a word." Mav nodded at his father.

"My boy, did I allow you to join?" the King asked. Willem nodded. "How did you pass training?"

"They said you wanted more people in the service; they pretty much said I would keep someone else alive, so they passed me through." Mav and his father exchanged glances. "I am more than happy to be here, my King, despite those that told me that. Don't make me leave."

"My boy, you are too small. You're only ten years old."

"I'm twelve, my King. I've been helping the Prince; I'm not even in combat. You don't have to worry about me."

"Why do you want to stay in the service?"

"I have nowhere else to go, Sire."

"But your family—"

"Is dead, Sire."

"Surely not everyone in your family is dead." Willem gave the King a long stare. "Everyone?"

"Yes, Sire. My entire family lived on the border of Sen'tieru and Osi'mith, and when I was out hunting, a band of thieves ravaged my family's land, burning everything and everyone where they stood. I have no aunts or uncles anymore. All of them are gone. When I came back, I tried to find anything the thieves had left behind, but there was nothing except a few clothes. I've been on my own since then."

"Why have you never told me this, Willem?" The prince looked at him with pity.

"I don't want anyone's pity, my Prince. No one asked me about my family, either. I have been able to take care of myself for some time now, and only wish to serve in whatever capacity I can. If you need me, I will be outside the tent awaiting your orders, my Prince." He left.

"My King, I never knew any of what he just shared with us. No wonder he didn't want to leave, and no wonder he had an attitude when he showed up here."

"Him? An attitude? He seems very well behaved for having an attitude," the King remarked, taking a bite of his bread.

"Oh, before you came, he had an attitude. With help from the men, we were able to get him to see reason and start behaving like a soldier. He's a good worker if you don't need him to carry a sword and shield." The King laughed. "I actually wouldn't mind making him my servant when we return." He looked at his father.

"I don't see why not, my son. If you say he's a good worker, then let him work for us. Maybe when he grows up, he'll be able to wield a sword and shield." They both chuckled. "We leave for the High City at dawn."

* * *

Mav was glad to be home, and glad his father hadn't caught any of his men drinking. Willem agreed to be his servant, and Mav let him pick out his own room on his wing of the castle. Willem had never been inside one before, and asked Mav if he could explore the castle on his own. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea."

"My Prince, if you want me to know how to navigate in this place, you need to let me do this."

"Nice try, Willem. I will give you a tour, and then we will find you a room." Willem narrowed his eyes. "It's not going to happen. You can do whatever you want, but I'm not letting you out of my sight."

Willem sighed. "All right, Prince. If you insist. Is there any way we can get down to the kitchen for some food? I'm starving." He started for the front of the castle. Mav yanked him back. "If you want to go to a kitchen and not have to sit down, you go to my sister's wing. Albrie is the best." Mav held Willem's shoulder and they walked over to Jessa's wing. "Now, the key to a successful kitchen heist is not being seen. My sister hates it when I do this." Mav peeked out to see if anyone was walking down the hall. "Let's go." He led the way with Willem right behind him. A door opened, and he immediately flattened himself on the wall behind a pillar. Willem was right beside him. He quickly glanced to see who it was. One of the maids. He waited until he heard another door open and close. He looked at Willem and put his finger to his lips, then slipped from his position and quickly made his way to the kitchen entrance. He opened the door and Willem slipped inside. He followed and closed the door. Willem was standing there drooling. Albrie saw him and put her hands on her hips. "Prince Azmaveth," she started. He waved at her to be quiet. "Oh stop it, Prince! She knows you're here, and she knew you'd come sooner or later. I'm afraid I have bad news. I can't allow you to take any more of her food. Queen's orders."

"But Albrie—"

"The Queen, my Lord. Not your sister. If you want food, you're going to have to get a cook yourself, or go to your father and mother's cooks. I'm sorry; I can't do a thing about it." She started kneading again. "You're going to have to take your friend with you." Mav had an idea.

"But Albrie, he's starving. He needs food. Look at him." Willem was standing there, looking like he hadn't eaten in days. He looked up at Albrie, his eyes pooling with tears. "Surely you can give him something."

Albrie averted her eyes, but they had already caught the boy's. She couldn't tear herself away from them. They were just so— "Oh, come here, boy. Let's get you something to eat." Mav started following them and Albrie stopped him. "Not you, Prince. Only the boy. You are not skin and bones as he is."

"How's that fair? You feed a boy, but not the prince!"

"Queen's orders apply to you, not to him." Mav threw his hands up. "Sorry, Prince." She had Willem sit down as she got him some cheese, bread, and pork. It was the Princess' left-overs.

"This is unfair."

Albrie threw him a glare. "Then get your own cook, and you can do whatever you like. Your sister and mother have both suggested it before. Why don't you take them up on that?"

"You know I like my privacy, and I'm very picky on who I want touching my food."

"So I suppose that's your way of asking me to be your cook, is it?"

"What? No." He stared at the floor, glancing every once in a while at her. "Maybe," he ventured. "You already know my quirks and preferences. I'm not saying you have to, but it would be nice."

"I've already asked your sister about it, and she said she would do anything to get you out of her side of the castle." Albrie smiled, as did the prince. "I start tomorrow morning, Prince."

"Excellent! Now, if you're done, Willem, we've got another kitchen to infiltrate before our tour."

* * *

Mav and Willem had just finished their tour when Willem saw men out on the training ground. "Can we go and watch? Maybe you can give me some pointers."

Mav grinned. "You have to be able to hold a sword for a minute before I'll start teaching you. I want to change before we go down. I don't like wearing this any more than I have to." They went to Mav's room and he changed clothes before they headed down to the training grounds. He hated always wearing Osi'mith colors. A plain shirt and pants were almost always more comfortable. Mav saw V'osi leading the men through the normal routines. The new recruits started performing, and he saw V'osi fall back to watch them. Then he noticed the girl. She was wearing a dress and talking with V'osi. Her hair fell down to her mid-back, wavy and dark blonde. It was the only thing he could make out. Good for V'osi. He hadn't had much time to find a woman; she looked like a good match for him. He focused on the recruits, immediately picking out the ones who had done some fighting before, and those who were just learning. He was glad to see that it was men out there training, and not boys. He looked at Willem. So much sorrow in his young life. He didn't know if he could be as strong as Willem if he'd lost everything. He rested his hand on the boy's shoulder, and leaned against the door post of the stable, thinking about nothing and everything. His thoughts scattered when V'osi asked him what he was doing there. "Oh, Willem wanted to watch the new recruits. That's all. Willem, you remember V'osi, don't you?" The boy looked up at him.

"Yes, my Lord. He's the one who told me I would help keep another man alive."

V'osi gave him a quizzical look. "I don't think I did; I don't remember training you. So what do you think, my Lord?" he said, motioning to the recruits.

"Some have promise; others have a lot of work ahead of them."

"I agree; I'm having them practice with armor tomorrow, if you want to join us. I won't say anything if you want to test them."

"Want to see how they fair against me?" Mav looked at V'osi, hiding a smile.

V'osi shrugged. "It would give you and them a gauge at where they are. And I know you love showing off. I won't say anything if you show up in your armor. We're going to be geared up after breakfast. Have a good day, sire." Mav watched him leave.

"Willem, are you sure he's the one who told you that you would help keep another person alive?"

"I get confused sometimes with the names. It might have been someone else. If it wasn't him, it was the other one that works in the stables." Willem looked up at the prince. "Are you going tomorrow?"

"Yes, Willem. You get to help me put my armor on, and then you get to see me fight." Willem smiled. He was looking forward to it already.

* * *

Willem grunted. Putting the prince's armor on wasn't very easy. He needed to grow a few more inches. He struggled to get the buckle tight, but his fingers wouldn't grip it hard enough. It slipped. "Sorry!" he exclaimed, grasping it tighter this time. He wove it through the catch, and put his weight on it. It finally notched into the groove the prince had worn into the fabric. "Got it," Willem said in relief. The arm braces were easy to put on. His shoulder piece wasn't too difficult either. He handed the Prince his helmet, and they were off to the training grounds. Willem led the way, eager to see the Prince in action. He reached the grounds well before the Prince. He saw the recruits putting on their armor, and looked back to see where the Prince was. He noticed a girl in armor and did a double take. Females weren't allowed to serve the King. What was she doing? Before he could protest, she had put her helmet on and blended in with the men. He couldn't see where the prince had gone. Where was he? Willem searched for him in the group, but couldn't find him. He was sure the prince wouldn't be hard to find once the training started.

V'osi called everyone together and explained how the training that day was going to work. "We're going to have a small tournament. Winner gets tomorrow morning off, and lunch with the prince. Single elimination." Could V'osi do that? No matter; it was about to start. Willem watched in rapt attention. Very quickly, several of the recruits were out. The less experienced ones, of course. "It was a good try," V'osi told them. "Get out of your gear, and you can come watch the rest of the men." As the day wore on, the people that were left began to tire quickly. Soon, the last two were left. Willem looked around at who had lost, and noticed the girl and the prince weren't among them. No! There was no way a girl could beat all those men! But as sure as he checked again, he didn't see her. The prince was the other one. Willem had watched everyone, and was sure he knew which one the prince was.

V'osi called the recruits to circle the last two competitors. "It's the final match; are you two ready?" They both nodded at him. "All right; begin!" The last two competitors circled each other for a minute before one made a move. A slash that the other easily parried. Then began one of the most intense sword routines that Willem had seen yet. A slash here, a stab there, blocks and parries. They moved like it was a dance. The one on the left of Willem slipped, and the other drove their sword to the other's neck. The one on the ground yielded, and the other helped the person up. Both of them took their helmets off. Willem saw the prince look at the girl he just beat. He rushed to the prince's side. V'osi saw the prince's face, and saw the recruits look at Serah. "Class dismissed; I'll see you all here, bright and early tomorrow morning!" The recruits left, looking at Serah like she was a leper. V'osi turned to Mav. "My Prince—"

Mav put his hand up, silencing him. He was looking at Serah. "You beat all those men on your own strength?"

"Y—Yes." She looked at V'osi, then at Mav. "You're the prince?" she asked meekly.

"I am; I've never seen anyone fight like you. I didn't know you were even among the recruits."

"No one told me you were coming, my Lord. Had I known—"

"Had you known, you never would have fought so hard." Mav looked at V'osi. "It was a good idea, V'osi. She's definitely a worthy opponent, and you are lucky to have her." He turned to Serah. "If you truly desire, you can have lunch with me even though I won." The prince smiled, punching V'osi. "Decided to offer the men a lunch with me, eh? You're lucky I'm not busy. It was a pleasure, my Lady." He bowed to her, then grabbed Willem and left.


	13. Chapter 13

Zadok woke up to Rex's nudge. "What is it? What's happening?"

Rex motioned to the port side of the ship. Zadok saw that they were hugging the coast as they made their way to Gaiome. "We've passed Port Antor, and are making our way to the last stop before we get to Iri'neethim."

Zadok was confused. "There are no stops until Lisen, I thought."

"Port Antor is too big for us to stop at; I told the captain that we needed to go a little further. There's a very small village that we can visit before we head into Iri'neethim. Had we stopped back at Antor, the king would have most likely caught wind you were still in the region, and had his men start towards Iri'neethim. We've managed to convince him that you and the men are headed into Sen'tieru. It was the logical choice for you in the King's mind." Rex handed him some food. Zadok looked at the jerky Rex had handed him and sniffed it. "Just eat it, Zadok. You will feel much better." Rex looked around at the rest of the sleeping men. "I wanted to tell you this while they were sleeping because I don't want them to know who I really am."

"Rex, if they knew who you really were, it would clear up so many of their doubts. A body they could actually see; a sign that the Light is really alive, and not just some ethereal thing or idea."

"Zadok, now is not the time. All of them wouldn't believe you anyways. They're unable to comprehend our existence as one. You don't even understand it yourself. Trying to explain it is even more challenging."

"But I've seen your power; you caused the King to be blind to me. Asher saw it too. The men would believe both of us."

Rex gave him a stern look. "Zadok, you cannot do this. It is not the time or place to bring this to the men. We need to get to Iri'neethim and find shelter. Please don't force me to do anything drastic. I will wake Asher and we'll get some supplies while the rest of you sleep." Zadok nodded and lay back down.

* * *

When Zadok next awoke, he could see they were coming to the start of one of the rivers in Osi'mith. They had passed Port Antor, so it had to be the Berleton River. He saw that the rest of the men were starting to wake, and he found Asher and Rex had been working on breakfast. "What are you two making?"

Asher handed him what looked like fruit preserves wrapped in bread. "We decided to see how this tasted. Rex came up with the idea, and I was starving at the time, so we figured it was worth a shot. Try it; you'll be surprised." Zadok slowly brought the food to his mouth and took a small bite. The bread was sweeter than he was used to, complementing the preserves. It was delicious. "I knew you'd like it," Asher said when he saw his leader's face.

"You got this at the village?"

"Everything to make plenty more. Some of the others already want more, but we need to make sure everyone's had some before we can give out seconds."

"How much longer did the captain say we had until we get to Gaiome?"

Asher took another pastry off the grill. "It's going to be another day or so, according to him. Rex and I got plenty of things until we make our next stop, which will be our last before heading into Iri'neethim. Sit back and enjoy the scenery for now; there's nothing more any of us can do until we get to Gaiome." He was right. Zadok made himself comfortable, and sat back to listen to his men. Some were a little disgruntled, but most of them were in a better mood now than he'd seen in weeks.

* * *

The mountains behind Gaiome were exactly like they had been in his vision. He gazed at the peaks in wonder, the sand crunching under his feet. He looked up at the sky. It wasn't night yet, but somehow he knew the stars would also be like his vision.

"Zadok, my Prince, the ship with our horses is here; we must go and get them as quickly as possible." Rex had snuck up behind him and made him jump.

"You scared me, Rex." He took a breath. "Let's go inform the men and get our mounts." Zadok rounded up the men and led them to the ship to get their horses back. Once all the horses and men were ready, Zadok addressed them. "Now, men, we're in Iri'neethim. The city of Gaiome is straight ahead. We're going to need some men to get supplies, men to be on the look-out for the others as they come, and the rest are going to help find a place to hide out in the mountains behind the city. Remember, they do not know who we are or where we are from; we don't know how they will react if they know we're from Osi'mith. It's probably best not to say anything about it when you get supplies. Does anyone have questions or anything else they would like to add?"

"I volunteer to go and get supplies," Rex offered. A few others also volunteered for the supply run. Rex took the lead, and they headed for the city. Asher and some others said they would be the look-outs for the other bands of men who were undoubtedly making their way to Iri'neethim by ship or horse.

"The rest of you all, we need to find some well hidden caves in the mountains." Some of the men groaned. They had had their fill of mountain caves. "I know you don't want to, but we can't risk exposure."

"Why don't we go to the city and assess their attitudes towards you, Zadok? I doubt they've seen any images of you. A bed would be nice, even for a night." The others agreed.

"I don't doubt it, but we need money if we're to stay in an inn or tavern."

"What if we could find a way to build our own house?" one of the men suggested. "There's a forest on the other side of the mountain, right? We could fell what we need and build something more permanent." Several of the men liked this idea.

"Perhaps in time. Tonight, however, it's to the mountains we go. I'm sorry, but we need to wait and see how these people are before we can move freely." He turned his horse around and headed for the mountains, the men following close behind.

* * *

Asher had been directing the men where to head once he greeted them. So far, five out of the ten groups had shown up. Zaphan still hadn't shown. He was probably still getting word to the others. Zadok had managed to set up three camps around Iri'neethim, all not more than a day's ride apart. The people of Gaiome were more than gracious to Zadok and the men after learning of their identities. "Any enemy of King Ori is a friend of ours." Zadok and the men thanked the city for being so kind. Some of the men were building a place to house the troops near the woods above the mountains. A few of the better woodsmen in Gaiome offered to help, and they were putting up the walls last Asher had heard. He was with three other men in waiting near the border for any who came across the river. There was a group that stayed in the city for those who came by the sea.

"There!" one of the men exclaimed, pointing towards the river and Lisen. With the dusk descending, it was hard to see exactly who was coming. Asher could make out only a few on horseback. No one he recognized. One of the other men got excited. He knew the men that were coming their way.

"It's Fidar's men," the man told the rest. Fidar's men; Asher had heard about him and his group. Aside from Zadok and themselves, his was the most pursued. Fidar and J'sen had once been good friends, but ever since Fidar broke away to follow Zadok, J'sen had shown no mercy towards him. If Zadok was the King's bane, Fidar was J'sen's. The men rode ahead to greet Fidar and his men.

Asher clasped Fidar's forearm. "It is good to meet you, Fidar. We have heard much about you and your men. We welcome you to our temporary home. The Prince will be glad to see you. Our camp is just over there, by the forest. We've been keeping watch for those coming over from Osi'mith. Have you heard anything about the other groups?"

"Not much, I'm afraid. We've heard that Zaphan has reached all the groups, but other than that, I cannot say. Zaphan is not a man to be trifled with, that's for sure. J'sen and his men have been trying to catch the rascal. Thank the Light, he's quick. His horse has got to be the fastest mount in the whole of Da'sheen."

"Or the Light's been helping him."

Fidar nodded. "You could say that; I've seen him dodge things no mortal man could. Something's guiding his steps."

"They'll take you to the camp for the night, give the horses some rest. It's not much more than a day's ride to our other camps. Actually, it's almost time for us to switch, so we'll get you to camp ourselves." Asher motioned to the other three men, and they all made their way to the camp on the edge of the forest.


	14. Chapter 14

Jessa was only too glad to have Mav out of her side of the castle. She was sad to see Albrie go, but she could visit. Her brother wouldn't kick her out. J'sen was still out scouring the region for the rest of Zadok's men. The King only wanted Zadok; he had no intention of capturing the others. J'sen was only too glad to stay; he had wanted to get Fidar for some time. Jessa wondered if he would ever come back. Perhaps after he searched the forest of Senthu. That shouldn't take more than a few weeks. Her new cook was doing quite well, actually. She had enjoyed Albrie's meals, but the new cook was more experimental than Albrie ever was. It was hit and miss, more often hits than misses. It rather livened up her meals, for which she was grateful. It was a good distraction. Just like her going to the market for more food. She would have to get Serah to escort her.

Jessa made her way over to her father and mother's area of the castle. Her sisters still resided with them as they were not old enough to get their own wing. It was also Serah's new quarters as well. She actually found Serah quite good at what she did. Only two days ago, Serah had proven she was worth keeping while defending her sisters from some muggers. Five throwing knives later, all four of the men had been taken into custody by the Queen. "One knife was weighted wrong," she remarked when asked why she used five instead of four. Intrigued at her answer, Jessa finally watched her practice. After she saw Serah best V'osi, Jessa had no problem with Serah escorting her to the market, or any other place for that matter. She just hoped that Serah was in her quarters.

* * *

Serah had been up for a while now. She hadn't been sure she would enjoy taking care of the Queen's daughters, but they proved to be a rather mischievous yet loyal group of girls. They kept teasing her about her relationship with V'osi. "Just because I train with him does not mean I like him," she told the girls.

"You can deny it all you want, Serah, but we know the truth," one of the girls replied. All three of them giggled.

"Well, if you don't stop teasing, I won't help teach you how to use a sword or dagger."

"But you promised!" another protested.

"Stop teasing me, and we'll go down this afternoon for some lessons."

"Yes, Serah." The princesses all made their way to the dining hall for breakfast.

"I will meet you all at noon for lunch." They all looked back at her, whispering among themselves and giggling. "Stop talking about me! I can hear you," she said before leaving. She had to fix a few things with her dress and armor. She definitely needed to find a better way to access her throwing knives. They were the easiest to get to, but not to get out. She might have to ask V'osi for some help. She sighed. That was probably one of the reasons the girls thought she was infatuated with him. She liked V'osi, but it was a more gradual and mutual admiration for each other's abilities than any sort of affection, per say. She enjoyed his company, and he enjoyed hers. She reached her room just as the Lady Jessa did. "My Lady," she said, bowing.

"Serah, I need you to accompany me to the market. My cook needs more ingredients for her dishes."

"Yes, my Lady. If you can wait, I would like to get prepared so we don't go unarmed."

"Of course, Serah." They entered the room. There were five beds shoved into the room, and Serah's was the one on the end. "This is where my mother put you?"

"It's not so bad. It's better than having four and switching from a bed to a floor every three nights with a stone fireplace and a table that barely fit us all." Jessa hadn't thought it of like that.

"You had to sleep on the floor?"

"My oldest brother couldn't move very well, so he always had a bed. The other five of us just switched among the other three. I'm only good at this because I was the defender for my family; no one dared to mess with us once they saw me fight three men at once and beat them."

"What is your family doing now?"

Serah shrugged. She looked down at her armor. "I don't know; I taught my sister what I learned from my brother, and I hope and pray they are all right." She picked up a bracer and inspected it to see if there was a different way to get the throwing knives more readily. That was another plan for another day. Lady Jessa was waiting to go to the market. A dagger would be sufficient. Maybe two. She strapped two to her waist, turning to the princess. "I'm ready."

"Are you sure two daggers will be enough? You were looking at that arm thing a second ago."

"It's not ready to be used again yet, my Lady. I'm having a dilemma, and need advice on some functionality issues."

"Oh," she replied. "You could always ask—"

"I do, my Lady. V'osi's very helpful with things like that." Serah opened the door and Jessa stepped through. "I really hope he can help me."

"I was actually going to suggest my brother. He's very inventive. Perhaps he can help you with your problem."

Serah quickly dismissed it. "I don't think that would be the best idea, my Lady."

"He doesn't bite, I assure you."

"I know, my Lady. I just—don't think it would be wise to ask him about something like this."

"He's one of the best swordsmen in our region; I'm fairly certain he would be better for this consultation than V'osi."

"He beat me in a match, and I'm embarrassed, my Lady!" Serah burst. She apologized. "I didn't mean to shout, I just—I can't see him again." Serah continued walking with Jessa.

"When did you fight my brother?" Jessa asked, curious as to how the two even ended up against each other. "He hasn't mentioned it."

"A week ago, my Lady. V'osi had the recruits practicing in armor, and he asked me to sneak into the group to see how the men would do against me. He must have also told your brother to do the same, not knowing we would end up as the last two combatants." Serah took a deep breath. She hated reliving the memory. "I had been watching him fight, and thought I could take him. When we started, it felt good to fight with someone who was equal to me in almost every way. Then I slipped, and he gained the advantage. I yielded; there was no way I could have won." Serah berated herself for that slip every time she thought of it. Had she not slipped, she knew she could have taken him.

"I'm impressed you even got that far in a contest like that. It's not easy to wear all that gear and be mobile enough to beat men. You also have to understand that my brother is probably the best swordsmen in the service, Serah. To go against him and do that well is impressive to anyone, most of all to him. Many have lost fighting against him; you are not the first, and you won't be the last. I'm sure my brother's already forgotten about it."

Serah stood a little straighter. Jessa had a point. "Thank you, my Lady. I needed that. Perhaps I will ask his advice when we get back. It would be a welcome change from sitting in a stable trying to figure things out. The smell gets to me after a while." They laughed as they walked out the front of the castle towards the market.

* * *

The trip to the market proved uneventful, which Serah was thankful for. It meant she could try working out her throwing knife dilemma. She was still debating on whether to go to V'osi or the prince about it when she heard the door open. "I need to clean up my gear; it will be just a second."

"I'm here to talk with Serah; do you know where she is?" Serah instantly recognized the voice and froze. "Excuse me, but I'm looking for Serah. Where is she?" Serah placed her gear back on the table and turned around.

"I'm here, my Lord." Serah was nervous. She hadn't expected the prince to come to her quarters. "At your service," she added with a bow. She saw his face as he recognized her from the training they'd participated in together.

"So your name is Serah. That's good to know. What do they have you doing here, exactly?" The prince walked over to the table to look at her things.

"I'm the guard for your sisters and mother outside of the castle walls."

"My mother's personal guard? And my sisters'? I'm impressed. You must have come while my father was away; he would never have allowed you in."

Serah glared at him with her jade green eyes and set her jaw. "I'm plenty good; I saved your sisters two days ago."

"Yes, I heard about someone saving them; I didn't know it was you who had done so. Impressive, the throwing knives." He picked up her bracer, examining the way she had inserted the knives. "Though the placement could be better."

"How did you know I needed help anyway?"

"My sister saw me in the hall and told me to find you." He looked at her and smiled. He had a good smile. She had to stop looking. "So what are you trying to figure out?"

"I like my bracers, and I want to keep them, but I'm not sure the throwing knives should be housed in them. It's difficult to get them out quickly enough. I didn't realize it until the incident with your sisters. Any suggestions?" She looked at him, his gold eyes examining her equipment with keenness. He studied her gear for a good minute.

"This may sound strange, but what about hiding them as part of a common piece of clothing? Or something you would normally take with you?"

"Like a money bag?"

Mav grinned. "A money bag; that's a great idea! All you have to do is make the hilts look like part of the bag, and you're set! If you already have one, we can use that." Serah hurried to her trunk at the foot of her bed. She quickly grabbed the money bag her brother had given to her. "This should do perfectly." Mav pulled out her knives from the bracers to check if they would fit the holes that were already part of the money bag. It was a perfect match. "Now you need to practice to see if this will work. Put the money bag on, and pretend that post is trying to come at you," he said, pointing to the post on the left. Serah hung the bag at her waist, letting the weight become part of her. "Now!" he commanded. She launched a blade and it stuck. "In front of you!" he yelled. She buried a second to the hilt in the wood. "There's one behind him!" he ordered. She pulled another and sidestepped to the right to nail the back post. "On the right!" he cried. She threw that one without looking. It stuck fast, wiggling slightly because of the angle at which she threw it. Mav looked around the room. "It works," he said, walking over to the first one she had thrown and pulling it out. "You were showing off on that last one, I think." He was working on the second knife as she pulled the other two out. He was struggling a little bit. "Maybe a little too excessive on this one," he grunted, slowly easing it out. Serah had already put the other knives back in the money bag. She was embarrassed at herself.

"I didn't mean to bury it so deep," she apologized. Mav finally got it out and handed it to her.

"No worries; I'd rather you train with that strength, especially when you're protecting my family. Practice becomes reality. If you don't train and practice hard, you never get better, and the other guy wins." He smiled again. Her heart hammered as she gave him a weak smile back.

"Thank you, my Lord. I appreciate the help you've given me. It's actually given me some more ideas for hiding weapons on myself."

"Well, I'm glad. Remind me never to cross you when we're outside this castle. If you need any more advice or help, come over to my wing and we can work on it together." He excused himself from the room. Serah chastised herself. He was a prince, she was a servant for his family. She couldn't be having feelings for him this way. It was inappropriate and unprofessional. She took a deep breath and started to pick her things up. "Serah, why don't you join me for lunch?" She almost leapt out of her skin.

"My Prince, don't do that!" She could see he was trying not to laugh. "It's not funny! And no, I can't join you. I promised your sisters we would do some dagger training this afternoon." She dumped her things into her trunk and slammed it shut. "Now, my Lord, if you would excuse me." Mav allowed her to pass through. Then she remembered she'd forgotten to grab her daggers. She turned around and went back through the door.

"I thought you were leaving," Mav said.

"I need my daggers, Prince." She went in, picked up her daggers and went back out, unable to look the prince in the eye.

"How about tomorrow?" he called after her.

"I doubt it, my Lord." Serah rushed to the dining hall.


	15. Chapter 15

Mav went back to his wing to see if Willem was there. "Willem!" No answer. Mav frowned. "WILLEM!" he bellowed. The boy immediately materialized in front of Mav.

"What do you need, my Prince?"

"Are you in the mood to practice this afternoon?"

"Practice what, my Prince?"

Mav smiled, his eyes twinkling. "How to use a sword."

"My Prince, you told me I had to be able to hold a sword for a minute before I could get any advice from you. I'm only up to 40 seconds."

"So you don't want to practice, then? Pity, I have some really good ideas for you." Mav started heading to the dining hall for lunch.

"Wait, my Prince! Wait!" Willem ran after him. "I want to learn; I really do. Please teach me."

"Let's get some lunch and then we'll head down to the training grounds." Willem nodded, and they walked into the dining hall.

* * *

Willem was excited. He had never really trained before. Well, the only "training" he had was being a practice target for the other recruits. He was happy to get some real training, and from a prince at that! As soon as he had finished his meal, he left the hall and went down to the training grounds. The prince followed a few minutes later. "Someone's excited," he commented.

"Yes, Prince Azmaveth, I am." Willem looked at the swords available, and tried to find the shortest, smallest one available. He grabbed one, and hefted it off the rack. It wobbled, and he made it to the grass outside before it fell. "That one was almost 45 seconds!" He looked around to see where the prince was. "Prince? Prince Azmaveth?"

He showed up brandishing a smaller sword, not unlike a dagger. "I think this will suit you better for now, Willem." He came closer with the item. "It's called a short sword; usable as a normal sword would be, but your size." He winked at Willem, and offered it to him. Willem took the blade, and swung it around much more easily than the other, longer sword.

"Sire, this is perfect! Look at me!" he cried, waving it around.

"Settle down, Willem; you're wasting energy." The boy immediately stopped swinging the sword around and listened to the prince. The prince had his sword. "Soon, you'll be wielding a sword like mine, but we need to work on getting your strength up before that happens. I'm going to help you with a few basic moves as a swordsman, okay?" Willem nodded. The horses started neighing. "Willem, focus." Willem bit his lip and nodded. "Don't bite your lip; if an opponent sees that, he'll whack you and you'll end up with a tooth through it." Willem stopped biting his lip and looked at the prince. "Okay, so there are a few different ways to start. It all depends on what works best for you." The prince helped him with some basic step movements, and went through some primary guards for him to start. Willem started working his way through the first guard movement when he saw the woman who had lost to Mav in the stables. She had three girls with her. His eyes widened. Mav looked at him curiously. "Willem, you're not focusing. What's the matter?" He turned around and spotted the girls and the woman. Mav waved, and turned back to Willem. "Here, Willem. Look at me. They're here for different training. You're not supposed to be worried about them."

"But, Sire, they're girls! They're not supposed to know how to use weapons!" The prince stopped and crossed his arms.

"Oh really, Willem? Do you recognize the woman who is with them?" The prince went over and looked with Willem at the woman and the girls. "You realize she almost beat me, and there were several recruits she bested, including V'osi, on a regular basis? She saved those three girls a few days ago because she is good at what she does. She's one of the best people I've seen with a sword and shield. She can also throw knives and daggers at targets without looking at them. Would you like to challenge her?"

"No, but she shouldn't be teaching them how to use weapons."

"I think it's a good idea for those girls to know how to use a dagger." The prince walked back to his original position. "Now, are you ready to focus on practice?" Willem looked at the girls and the woman, then back to the prince. He didn't like it, but the prince told him to ignore it. So he would try his hardest to ignore it. He nodded, and the prince started working with him again.

* * *

Mav could tell that Willem was having trouble at first ignoring the girls who were practicing their own lessons behind the prince. This was part of Mav's training, as well as teaching him the basic maneuvers for using a sword. It was part of the reason he wanted to start the boy's training today. He wanted Willem to learn how to block out everything else that was happening around him so he could concentrate on the skills and techniques he needed to stay alive. And he was also curious about Serah. Why had his mother allowed her to serve as a guard? Why had she come in the first place? Where was her family? Did she have a family? He was intrigued by her; there were so many questions he wanted answered, and he wanted to talk with her about all of it. He had to stop thinking about her. He was supposed to be helping Willem. He noticed the boy was starting to let his arms droop. "Willem! Keep your arms up!"

"But they're tired, my Lord! I've been going through these routines for half an hour!" Mav looked at him.

"Do you know, on average, how long battles last, young Willem?" The boy shook his head. "More than an hour. Keep your arms up. It will increase your strength and the energy you use in a blow." The boy groaned and dropped the sword. "You're really going to let a sword beat you? Perhaps I should have waited to start training you."

The boy shook his head, and picked his sword up again, sweat beading on his face. "I can do it," Willem muttered, more to himself than the prince. Mav could see the boy was starting to gain a little bit of confidence in himself. The self-motivation was good; it would help carry Willem to his next goal.

He snuck a look over at his sisters and Serah. She was already starting the practical training aspect of the dagger. He smiled and turned back to Willem, who was still working on his form and technique. His arms had somehow gotten steadier. "Good job, Willem; you're doing very well." He ignored the prince, going through the moves slowly and surely. Mav could tell he was trying to remember them all. "Slow is fast, fast is slow," he coached. "You can try increasing the speed of your movements if you think you're up to it. We're going to be here for a little while longer, and then we're done for the day."

Willem nodded to acknowledge the prince's words, continuing his lesson. The prince noticed he increased the speed slightly, the movements becoming more fluid. He continued for another half an hour before the prince told him he was done for the day. Willem let the sword drop, the tip buried in the ground. "You did well today, Willem; I'll put your sword back." Mav took the blade from the boy's hands, and brought the blades back into the stables to set them in their proper place. The boy needed a moment to rest. Mav stood in the stable for a moment, happy that Willem was starting to learn how to be a soldier. He heard some of the horses snorting, and went to see what was going on.

He saw his sisters petting some of the horses, Serah next to them. V'osi was also with them, and he and Serah were talking quietly to each other. He looked at Serah, a woman who could take care of herself, a woman who didn't need anyone to survive, and all of a sudden he wasn't sure he could be in the same room with her. He needed to leave. He was interrupting something. He went and got Willem. "Let's go get a bath before dinner; we need it after practicing today."

* * *

Mav lay in his bed, thinking about what had happened that day. He didn't know what to think anymore. He never thought he would feel this way about a woman before. He never had time to. When he and his father weren't out searching for Zadok, he was training or fighting for his father's kingdom against the other kingdoms. He had gotten used to being away from his family. It was normal for him to be home for three weeks, then head back out to defend or defeat a village or city in the realm. He had flirted before, but it was never anything serious. His father had also hinted that if he didn't marry soon, he would use Mav's bachelor status to make peace with Then'atul. King Dathan's daughters were considered to be some of Da'sheen's greatest treasures. It would also alleviate General D'then's bloodlust for any Osi'mithian that crossed the border. He would have no choice but to stop his quest against J'sen and the other generals of Osi'mith. King Seta also had a daughter that was of marrying age, and King Ori told King Seta that he would consider a marriage for peace between Sen'tieru and Osi'mith. Mav knew that his father was serious. He had mentioned it several times on their way back to the High City. Mav also knew he would do it without consulting him. At the time, Mav hadn't cared. But now—now he didn't know. He punched his pillow. He was frustrated. She was a guard—a guard! Not even of noble birth. He couldn't love her. She may be a good fighter, and good with her weapons, but she could never manage to be like Jessa or his mother. On the other hand, his family wouldn't be here for long. Zadok's time was coming, and his family would be like everyone else's—living in a village and growing their own food. Would it really be so wrong to spend time with her? He sighed. He needed to stop thinking about this—about her. Besides, he doubted she was interested in him; she'd been talking with V'osi down at the stables, probably whispering sweet love words to each other. He covered his ears with his pillow and squeezed his eyes shut. He let out a frustrated cry and buried his face in his pillows. He needed to relax, to empty his head of all the thoughts that zipped through it. He pictured an empty castle room, painted white. He slowed his breathing, forcing himself to slow his heartbeat. The last thing he remembered picturing before he fell asleep was Serah.

* * *

"Prince Azmaveth, you look terrible," Willem commented as he entered the dining hall. It looked like the prince hadn't slept well at all. Or he could be coming down with some sort of sickness. "Are you coming down with a sickness, Sire?"

The prince lifted his bleary eyes to his young servant. "Perhaps." The prince waited for him to sit before they gave a moment of silence. Both of them started eating, ravenous.

"My Lord, if you would stop inhaling your breakfast, you might be able to taste it," Albrie said as she entered with more food.

"I'm hungry, Albrie; you are the best cook any king could ask for." The prince slid his empty plate to the side and grabbed the next one. He started devouring everything on the plate. Willem had never seen the prince eat like this before.

Willem thanked Albrie for bringing him another plate, and gave her his empty one. "You're very welcome, Willem. Now maybe the prince here will learn some manners if he sees you being so polite." She took the prince's empty plate as well and left for the kitchen.

"Sire, are you all right?" The prince didn't answer him. Or chose not to. "Sire, you aren't yourself. Is there something I need to do? Your armor. It must be your armor. I'll get to polishing it straight away." The prince was almost done with his second plate. "And your chainmail, my Lord. It's got holes in it." The prince was done, and he sat back, staring across the table. Willem didn't know what he was looking at. "My Prince, what is wrong with you? You've been acting strange ever since you came in this morning. You look like a half-dead liat yet eat like you haven't had a decent meal in days." Willem waved his arms in front of the prince; nothing. "Please don't make me do that again, Prince; my arms are killing me after the training we had yesterday." That seemed to stir the prince. "My arms are so sore from the exercises, they feel like I've broken them." The prince gave a half-smile to him. "That's a start, my Lord! Now, come on. The King needs you today. You promised to go riding with him, my Prince." Willem got up and tugged on his arm. The prince got up and let Willem lead him to his bedroom. "We need to get your dressed, my Lord. The King is expecting you in an hour."

* * *

Mav shook himself from the stupor he'd been in most of the morning. Willem had taken care of everything; he was ready to go and meet his father. He watched Willem get his sword and belt and scurry over with it before he could drop it. He chuckled. Willem looked relieved.

"It's good to hear you laugh, my Lord; I was starting to think I would have to let the King know you were unable to go with him because you were sick." Mav had strapped the belt and sword on. "Is there anything else you need done before you come back from your survey?"

"No, Willem; relax for today. Your arms are going to need it. Tomorrow we'll be at it again."

"Yes, Sire. Enjoy the time with your father." Willem left, Mav looking at himself in the mirror. He was looking better than he had been this morning. At least his eyes were lively again. All night, he'd been tossing and turning because of dreams turned into nightmares, mostly involving Serah. He hit his hilt. He needed to focus on something else—ah yes, down to the stables. V'osi should be getting his mount ready. He left and got there just as his father was settling into the saddle.

"Son, are you ready?"

Mav smiled up at him. "Yes, Father, I am." He slid into his saddle, and thanked V'osi. The man bowed and left. "Come, Father, let's ride for a bit." They kicked their horses into a gallop and crossed the meadow in the span of four breaths. Mav beat him to the front and took the trail ahead of him. His father grunted, and fell back, following his son closely. When Mav burst into the next meadow, he slowed down, glad to feel the rush of adrenaline in his system. His father was beside him, breathing hard like Mav was. "That felt good, Father. I needed that."

"Are you feeling well, my son?" The King could tell something was troubling him. "Has something happened you wish to tell me about?"

Mav looked to the sky, unsure if he should ask his father anything. He then leveled his gaze at the King. His father would surely know some sort of advice for something of this nature. "I have a question, and I'm not sure if I can ask anyone about it."

"Well, surely a father can listen to his son." The king placed his hand on Mav's shoulder. "I am here for you, no matter what the question is."

"How did you know that Mother was the right woman for you?"

The king examined Mav's face and smiled. "I think I know what's happening; you're worried that you won't love the woman you marry. Son, there are four women for you to choose from. You'll find one that you can love."

"But you didn't have that option. You and Mother married out of love, not some obligation."

"It was a little of both, actually. It helped that we were already in love with each other. Her father and my father had been fighting over land, and our marriage meant they shared it equally, and both families prospered from it. Our circumstances are a little different now. You are to bring a peace to this kingdom with your marriage."

Now Mav felt stuck. If he confessed to his father he had feelings for a woman that wasn't one of the princesses, he didn't know what the king would do. He could disinherit him and throw him out. Or he might understand. "What does love feel like, Father?"

The king paused for a moment to consider the question. "Well, when I first met your mother, my heart couldn't stop racing. I was nervous when I was around her. She was so beautiful, and so kind. She would play with her hair a lot, which I found out later was a nervous habit. When we talked, my stomach felt like it was jumping, but as we continued to talk, I became more comfortable around her. I shared everything with your mother during the year we courted; we were lucky that we shared love and not just obligations to our families. But you also have to remember that love changes over time. It's not always about feelings, it's about respecting the other person and supporting them when they need it. Your mother is an incredible woman, Mav. I haven't been treating her with the respect and support she deserves." His father stopped and reflected a moment before continuing. "Yes, romantic love is wonderful, but a strong love consists of mutual admiration and commitment to each other as well." King Ori gave Mav a side glance. "You're not asking because of the princesses, are you? You think you may be in love, but you don't know if it is love. With someone else."

Mav looked back at him. "Yes, that is the case, Father." He led his horse forward, emotions still mixed. "I didn't even know I liked her until I realized that without her, I don't feel right. I never knew anything was wrong until she came. It was only yesterday that I realized she could leave and survive without me, but I'm not sure I could survive without her, knowing she will make me a better person."

"My son, you cannot let the first woman you see take your heart like this. You said it's been a day since you realized you had feelings for her?"

"Yes."

"I would suggest giving yourself some time to know her, and to see if anything comes of it."

Mav nodded, grateful for his father's advice. "That helps; thank you, Father. Now, let's go and get this survey done. I have some business to attend to once we get back."

"As do I," the king replied, thinking of his wife.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Yeah, so I haven't really done one of these for a while. Figured I'd update all of you on what's been going on. I've been working on two different stories for the past two months (Many Time Ladies Over and Old or New?), and figured I should post a few more chapters of this for you all. I'm still working on it, but I'm also critiquing and beta-ing for people on the site as well. I'm also managing two businesses of mine, got these stories on two different sites, and have a house to take care of, so if I don't update too often, this is why. Oh, and I'm having medical issues I'm trying to take care of as well. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! I'm a pretty friendly girl! Anyways, on with the chapters. Enjoy! (Also, I did take this from a certain Biblical character's story, not going to lie. But I kinda made it my own as well.)**

* * *

Zadok finally had all of his men with him and he was glad. Zaphan had arrived before the last group came. He asked Zaphan how everything had gone. "My Prince, I was able to get General J'sen to think we had headed into Sen'tieru. He is probably searching the Forest of Senthu as we speak. Luckily I was able to move fairly quickly on Flyer. Certainly lives up to his name. They will think we've crossed into Then'atul once he doesn't find anything in the forest. And you know they will not follow anyone into that forsaken kingdom."

"Well done, Zaphan. You have my life, as always. It's good to see you here in one piece." Zadok left the man to get settled into a section of the camp. The building they had put up near the woods had beds upstairs, and all plans, briefs, and missions were taken care of downstairs. Zadok had the men on a rotation; he couldn't keep all three hundred of them in one location, so he had worked on three separate places. They were all within a day's ride of each other. He had seen some men taking care of their master's flocks over by the woods, and told his men to make sure no one bothered them, and to ensure no one took anything from them. The shepherds stayed in the area for a few weeks, Zadok's men keeping watch over them and the animals. The shepherds thanked the men before they left, and promised to help them if they ever came up to their master's house near Amel.

Zadok was pleased with his men, and remembered the shepherds' offer. Soon after, he heard that Akos, the shepherds' master, was shearing his sheep near Amel. He sent some men to Akos, telling them to ask if Akos could spare anything for Zadok and the others. He told them to remind Akos that while his servants were with them, they did not have anything taken from them, and no harm came to the flock they were tending to. The five men, Asher among them, went to Akos' home to give these greetings in Zadok's name, and waited for the man's response.

Akos looked at the men with disdain. "I don't care what kind of protection you gave to my servants; for all I know, you could be lying to me to steal what I've worked for. I do not know who this Zadok is, and he and his men have survived for this long on their own; they can do without my help. I am not providing you, or anyone else who comes in Zadok's name, with anything that I have worked for."

Asher wanted to punch the man in the face, but the others held him back. "My master has been kind to your servants, Akos! He could have left them to their own devices, and you could be suffering losses if it wasn't for him!"

"I didn't ask him to help me; he did it of his own accord. I am not going to give him anything for something I didn't ask for. You will leave now." The man walked out of the room they were in, and the five men went back to Zadok.

When Zadok heard how the man had treated them, he burned with anger. "Men, get your weapons; we ride in an hour." Sixty men were armed and ready to ride, and Zadok led them towards Amel. "All of this kindness for his servants, and the man doesn't care. We risked our lives for his servants, and made sure they had all that they needed, and that nothing was missing of theirs. May the Light above deal with me if I leave any man alive from this man's household by noon tomorrow." His men were surprised at his words, but understood his rage. They rode fast to cut down Akos and his men.

* * *

Akos' servants had heard what their master said to Zadok's men and were appalled at what he had done. "My master, they were good to us! When we took your flocks over to where they stayed, they made sure no one harmed us and that nothing was taken. They took very good care of us. We wouldn't have what we do if it weren't for Zadok and his men. Why did you throw such harsh words at them?"

"You would do well to learn that this is my house and my wealth; they're alive now, and will continue to survive without my help. I owe them nothing," he told his servants. "I did not ask for their help, nor do I need it." The servants couldn't believe their master. He really was a surly and mean man. They had to do something.

"We could go to Gail," one suggested. "She is much more generous than her husband." The others agreed.

"She would be able to make things right with Zadok and the men." Two of the shepherds went to the house to find Gail. When they found her, she was going over the numbers for the sheep and cattle. "Lady Gail, we need to talk with you."

"Can it wait?"

"No; it's about your husband and his tongue. Zadok sent men with blessings for him and his household and to inquire about extra provisions, but Akos let his mouth run away and berated them for coming to ask. When we were out in the fields near Zadok and his men, they treated us most kindly, and ensured that nothing of our master's was missing or misplaced. They even set up a watch so that through the night we were protected. Please see what you can do; Akos will end up killing this whole household if you don't. He doesn't see goodness in anything."

"You were right to bring this to me; get back to the shearing. I will correct this." The shepherds left, and Gail immediately called for her maids. "We need to get whatever food we can manage without onto a cart. It must be done quietly and quickly, and without telling my husband. The fool," she muttered. She and the maids scoured the house, gathering what they could. A hundred loaves of bread, some flagons of mead, three sheep, enough grain to make plenty more bread, and the fruit she had been preserving for the months ahead. "Better to give it to a man who deserves it than a senseless, uncaring one." She made sure the cart was ready, and sent it ahead. "I will follow you when I am ready."

She scrubbed herself and changed quickly, hoping that the gift would be enough to assuage Zadok. She needed to meet him and explain. She had the servants get a horse ready, and was off less than half an hour after the cart had crested the ridge. She kicked the horse into a gallop, and sped towards where Zadok's camp should be. The shepherds had told her the general area she should head for. She only hoped that she could talk to him about her stupid husband. He only thought of himself; he barely ever helped her with anything. She regretted having married him; it had been an arranged marriage so her family could survive. She and Akos didn't have any children; she wasn't sure she would ever give him children. They rarely agreed on anything, including sleeping arrangements. She had to get to Zadok's camp.

* * *

Zaphan had gone ahead and he was now coming back with a cart of provisions. The cart was overflowing. "My Prince! The driver told me that this was for us. He said it was from Akos."

Zadok frowned. He didn't buy it. "We're still going."

"But my Lord—"

"Zaphan, he can't give us provisions after telling us we did nothing for him and are essentially worthless. If he means to appease us, he's mistaken. A good man would have helped us when we asked, not as an afterthought."

"Prince Zadok! Look! Someone's coming!" Asher exclaimed, pointing to the top of the hill. He couldn't make out who it was. He drew his sword, ready to cut Akos down. Two others also drew their swords, ready to defend Zadok should the rider attack. "It's a woman, my Lord. Perhaps a servant of the household."

Zadok still kept his blade at the ready. The other two sheathed their swords. The woman flew towards them, her dark hair flowing behind her. She slowed down, got off her horse and knelt at Zadok's feet. "My Lord, please do not let the words of a foolish man incite you to revenge." She looked up at him, her nearly black eyes peering into his. "Let me be the one to blame; don't let the words of Akos enrage you. I did not see the men you sent to us; if I had, this would not have been delayed." She stood, her cloak falling to her knees. "My Lord, the Light is with you. I know this; I have been to the city, and they have called you blessed. Truly, you are to be the next king of Osi'mith. I believe that.

"The Light has kept you from pointless bloodshed, and I pray that you keep faith in the Light. For as long as the Light and you live, your enemies will fall before you. The Light will continue to bless you, my Lord. The food I sent is for you and your men. Please accept our offering, and forgive me for the offense my husband committed. The Light will create a lasting kingdom for you, my Lord, and I do not want you to be found of any wrongs done to your servants. If you go through with your plan, my Lord, it will never be wiped from your conscience, and you will regret the day you avenged yourself and took matters into your own hands. All I ask is that you remember me, and forgive me for this offense against you." The woman bowed her head, waiting for Zadok's response. He couldn't deny that she was a beautiful woman. How Akos had ended up with a woman like this was a mystery. She was the exact opposite of the man. Zadok took a minute to close his eyes and search his heart. When he opened his eyes, he knew what he must do.

"May the Light bless you, and thank the Light above that you came to meet me. Your judgment and words have shown you to be an intelligent woman, and have kept me from doing something I would indeed regret. If you hadn't come, I would have killed every man in Akos' household by noon. I thank you for your gifts, and forgive you. Go home, dear woman, and be glad; your men will live."

"Thank you, my Lord. You have been most gracious to your servant." The woman got back onto her horse and turned back towards her home.

"Woman, what is your name?" He had never gotten her name; she'd been pleading with him to spare her husband.

"My name is Gail, my Lord. Once again, thank you." She dipped her head and left, a cloud of dust in her wake.

Zadok looked after her. "She is quite a beautiful, intelligent, and talented woman." He looked towards the ridge for a moment after she disappeared. Asher whacked him on the head. He glared at Asher. "Do not do that again, my friend."

"Sire, she's married and you do not have the time to think about women. Let's take these provisions and get moving." Asher took the lead, Zadok the rear. He kept looking over his shoulder, hoping to get one more glimpse of the woman. He shook his head. Asher was right; he shouldn't be thinking about her. He had more important matters to attend to. He did wonder briefly how she ended up with Akos, and shoved the thought from his mind. It was no concern of his.

* * *

Gail returned home and quickly stabled the horse. She slipped into the house, hoping Akos wouldn't notice she was just coming home. She snuck a look into the dining room and saw him holding a feast for himself and some of his friends. Typical Akos. She went into the room. "Hello, Akos!" she greeted her husband.

"Wife! Get me some more ale!" he slurred, barely able to lift his cup. Yep, he was definitely drunk. Probably not the best time to tell him anything. She smiled.

"Yes, Akos. Give me a minute to find another flagon."

"Your wife is so good to you, Akos," one of his friends commented. Gail heard him, and she was surprised when her husband agreed with the man.

"He's also very drunk," she muttered to herself, grabbing a flagon of ale and going back into the room to replenish her husband's drink. After she poured him his drink, she set the jug on the table and told him she was going to bed. "I will see you in the morning."

* * *

When she woke up the next morning, she found Akos awake and surprisingly sober. "Good morning, Akos. How was last night?"

"It went well; we enjoyed ourselves after a hard season, and I think everyone had a good time."

"That's good." Gail went to the kitchen to start making breakfast. She started the fire, then turned to Akos. "Husband, I need to tell you something. I did it to fix the situation you got yourself into with Zadok and his men." She knew she had to tell him what happened; she didn't believe in lying. "You may want to sit down while I tell you what happened." He sat, and she explained everything that happened and what was said during her encounter with Zadok and the men. He grew sullen and unresponsive as she continued talking. "Akos, Zadok was intending to kill you and all the men in our household; do you realize that? I saved you."

"And betrayed me. That's what hurts the most, Gail." He got up and left the kitchen, no longer hungry.

She rolled her eyes. "I save him, and he calls it betrayal."

They avoided each other for several days. When Akos failed to show up one morning, she went to look for him. She saw him lying in his bed and went to wake him up. She shook him, but he didn't stir. She rolled him over, and gasped. She touched his skin. It was cold. Was this really happening? She sent a servant to get a physician. "Tell him to hurry!"

The physician came as quickly as he could. He went into the bedroom to check if Akos was still breathing. He looked up at Gail. "I'm sorry, Gail, but he's dead." The physician hugged her. "I'm glad you're the one who's still alive; no offense, but your husband was not the easiest man to get along with." Gail nodded, still in shock about his death. She took a deep breath, and looked back at the physician.

"I will take care of the body, and will let my friends know what's happened. Thank you, sir."

The man gave her a sympathetic smile and left. Gail went to grab the servants. She wanted to get rid of the body as soon as possible. "Akos is dead; I need you give him a proper burial." She called on one of the stable hands. "I need you to get word to my friends in Gaiome; Akos is dead, and they deserve to know about it. Let them know that if they would like, they can come visit to pay their respects." She doubted that any of them would come for him, but she wanted to offer them that right. Only then did she go into her room and let herself cry.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: So I decided to post a few more chapters. I've had this story going for a while; just haven't had time to post it. So... enjoy.**

* * *

Serah had seen the Prince when he had been down at the training grounds. She saw the boy he was trying to help. He couldn't have been more than ten years old from the looks of him. She watched the prince as he helped the boy with his foot placement and foot movements. Then she remembered that she was supposed to be helping his three sisters with some dagger training. She then realized that training with actual daggers would probably not be the wisest of choices. "Wait here," she told them. She went back to the stables to ask V'osi where the practice daggers were. It would help them get their form and positions down. And they could practice for real without killing each other. She contemplated getting them padding. It would probably be a good idea. "V'osi! I need some help!" she called out. She saw him as he poked his head out.

"Be there in a minute! T'osi and I need to finish something first!" He disappeared for a few minutes, then came over to her. "What do you need, Serah?"

"I wanted to go through some dagger training with the princesses. I was wondering if I could use the practice daggers and the practice gear."

"Yeah; no problem. Training for the recruits ended early today, so you're lucky. Mav asked to borrow a short sword. He's trying to train his servant."

Serah was puzzled. "That boy is his servant?"

"Yeah; somehow, we managed to overlook him when he went through recruit training. I think T'osi just let him slip through. Haven't had a chance to talk with him about it yet. Anyways, I'll be back in a second with the daggers and training gear." Serah looked around the stable, amazed at the sheer number of horses the kingdom took care of. V'osi gave her the gear and wished her luck in teaching the princesses.

"Okay, girls; grab some gear and a practice dagger. We're going to start training."

* * *

Training had gone well; the three of them were going to be bruised tomorrow, but they learned a lot from the exercises they went through. They had stayed longer than Mav and the boy. She wanted to teach them some skills so that if they were faced with a life-or-death situation, they would have a chance of living to see another day. "Can we learn how to use throwing knives?" one of them asked.

"That's for more experienced people, like me or your brother."

"Or V'osi," another chimed in. They giggled.

"You are never going to quit, are you girls?"

"I won't be a girl for much longer," the oldest said, straightening up. Serah nodded.

"You're right; you won't be. Before you know it, you'll be married," she teased. Her two sisters laughed. "Not such a good feeling, is it?"

The oldest meekly looked at Serah and her sisters. "No." Serah now gave the two younger princesses a knowing look. They quieted. "Well, that's all I have for you ladies today. Now let's get back to the castle and wash up before supper." They made their way to their wing of the castle. Serah told the girls that she would meet them in the dining hall after they got cleaned up. She went to her room to rest for a bit before she went to supper. She would bath later. It helped her sleep.

* * *

The next day, she was still in bed when a knock sounded. She was more tired than she thought. "Come in," she said, her eyes closed.

The door opened, and someone came in. He cleared his throat, causing Serah to open her eyes. She quickly sat up. "Prince Azmaveth, I didn't know you were coming." Her heart started to flutter. She must be imagining it, but she thought he looked nervous.

"Serah, I was wondering if you would like to join me for supper. Tonight. I mean, if you want. You don't have to, I just—I want you to. I would be honored to spend the night with y—I mean, I would enjoy an evening. With you." He looked embarrassed; she wasn't used to seeing him like this. His usual charismatic manner had been replaced by what seemed nervous romanticism. She was curious. What had suddenly come over him? Her heart was still fluttering, but she thought that perhaps she could actually connect with him this time. At least she knew she wouldn't be the only one who was nervous. She nodded. "Yes; yes, I will have dinner with you tonight, my Prince. I will be there." He looked relieved, and smiled at her before he left. She closed her eyes, letting her mind dwell on his smile. She couldn't believe it.

* * *

Jessa had been talking with her cook and some of her other servants about things that they were going to need. "My Lady, you don't need to keep going out to get our things; we are more than happy to do it ourselves."

"I know, but I cannot stay holed up in this castle for very long. I need things to do, or places to go. Trust me, it gives me a chance to get outside. I need this," she informed them. They relented. Without J'sen there, she was in charge of them. She would have to go and ask Serah to accompany her the next morning as she did all the shopping. Perhaps Serah could stop by the leather shop for herself and grab some more leather. She had been talking about creating some other pieces that would help her in performing her duties. She hoped that Mav had been helpful in solving Serah's weapon dilemma. She would try to see if Serah was in her quarters before dinner. She was almost to Serah's quarters when she saw Serah coming out, wearing the most formal dress that Jessa had given her. "Serah, you look lovely," Jessa said. She smiled. "Is there a special occasion, or did you feel like dressing up tonight?"

Serah looked uncomfortable at Jessa's words. "It's somewhat of a special occasion. Do I look all right?" Her hair was partly pulled back and the rest allowed to flow down in all of its golden glory.

"You look very beautiful, Serah. I wanted to talk with you about tomorrow." Serah relaxed. "I'm making a trip to the market, and was hoping that you would accompany me."

"Of course, Lady Jessa; I will be in my quarters until you come and get me. Is there anything specific you would like me to bring?"

Jessa shook her head. "Just yourself and whatever you will need to protect me."

"Yes, my Lady. I do have to get going, I'm afraid. I promised to be somewhere for supper, and the hour is closing, my Princess."

"Of course, Serah. Going to see a man?" Serah blushed. "You are; well, I hope it goes well. Maybe we can talk about it tomorrow."

"Perhaps, my Lady. Have a wonderful evening." Serah hurried quickly down the hall, Jessa making her way back to her wing of the castle. She was curious as to who Serah was supposed to be meeting. A little adventure never hurt anyone. She followed Serah as she made her way down the hall. She turned into Mav's wing. Jessa stopped. Her brother? No, there must be a different explanation. She was probably meeting V'osi there, and going to the woods for a romantic evening. She remembered when she and J'sen had done that. He would surprise her sometimes with his spontaneous dates. Yes, that was it. There was no need to worry. She went back to her own wing, her mind filled with thoughts of her husband. She hoped he was heading back to the city.

* * *

Serah prayed that the prince wouldn't be angry. From what she could see, he was a rather kind man, and was not prone to outbursts. She stopped outside of what she thought was the dining room in his wing. He had given her directions to his part of the castle, but forgot to tell her which room was the dining room. She knocked. The door swung open, a fire and counters filling the back of the room. "This is the kitchen," she said.

"Yes, dear, it is; you must be Serah." The cook's eyes sparkled. "You passed the dining room on your way to this door. It's the one now on your right."

"Thank you," she said, hurrying to the door. She turned to the woman in the doorway. "Is this too much?"

The woman shook her head, a grin filling her face. "Not at all, my dear. He will be glad, I can assure you. Now get in there!" she laughed.

"Do I knock, or do I just go in? I don't know what I'm doing," she whispered to Albrie.

"Just walk in. The prince will take care of the rest." The cook then disappeared back into the kitchen. Serah closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. It was only dinner, it was only dinner. Her stomach twisted in knots. She pulled the door open, and stepped into the dining room, trying to be a proper lady. The prince stood up. His servant still sat. The prince nudged the boy, the boy standing after looking at her. "Serah, it is wonderful that you decided to join us. Come, sit next to me." He couldn't stop staring at her. He walked over, and took her hand. She allowed him to lead her to the seat next to his. She sat across from his servant. Mav nodded at the boy, who took his seat only after Serah had sat. Mav sat at the head of the table. "You look very beautiful tonight, Serah. I am glad that you came," the prince said, looking at her. He had dressed up; he wasn't in his royal attire, but he was definitely trying to impress her, and it was working. She smiled, as did he. His servant looked disgusted.

"Willem, would you be so kind as to go help Albrie in getting our food out here?"

"But my Prince, she is more than capable—" Mav gave him a stern look. "Yes, my Prince." He left to go to the kitchen. The prince looked back at Serah.

"I didn't want to, but I knew this was going to be the only way we could get some private conversation in before Willem and Albrie come in with the food." He seemed so focused on her. It was rather nerve-wracking.

"My Prince, I think we should wait to start talking until they get back. I'm rather nervous, and don't want to speak out of turn."

"You may speak your mind; I would be glad to hear it. Please, let me try to put you at ease." He pushed his chair back, and put his feet up on the table. "Albrie and my parents hate it when I do this." He stretched out, and Serah was trying to hide her smile. "I knew I could get a smile out of you." He put his feet down and pushed his chair back in. "Are you at least a little more relaxed?" he asked. Serah nodded. "Serah, you're going to have to talk if we're going to have a conversation," the prince noted.

"Yes, my prince." She sat quietly, unsure of what to say or ask him. She was so nervous. He seemed to be overcoming his rather quickly. Maybe she should say something. "So, how long have you been practicing swordplay, my Prince?" It was the first thing that popped into her head. What a stupid question! The prince smiled.

"Well, I had always played with swords growing up, but I didn't have my first real lessons until I was around eleven. It was my father who started teaching me the basics: foot placement, foot movement, the guards, transitioning from one guard to the next, and so on. It grew from there; everyone expected me to be this amazing sword fighter when I was that young. It took me a lot of work and practice until I became really good at it. A lot of people just assume it comes naturally to a prince, or to a king, but it really doesn't. It takes us just as much time, if not more, for it to be so natural. I'm hoping to train Willem to fight well with a sword; he just started, so there's much more work that needs to be done before he'll be a real soldier." The prince looked at Serah, a knowing sparkle in his eye. "And what about you, Serah? How long have you been practicing your skills with a blade?" Before Serah could open her mouth, Willem and Albrie had come in with the meal. She thanked them for bringing out the food, and waited until Willem took his seat, and Albrie had gone back into the kitchen. They gave a moment of silence, then started placing food on their plates. The prince helped Serah with hers. "You were about to tell me how long you've been practicing your skills," the prince reminded her.

"Oh, yes, my Prince. Well, my brother was to come here for the service five years ago for the war with Then'atul. Before he left, he wanted to make sure that we would be safe and taken care of, so he started training me in how to use a sword and shield for protection. He was one of the best fighters in Gid, and had already gone through the training here, so he was very knowledgeable about swords, shields, and the like. He managed to make some practice weapons, and we started my training when I was ten. Ever since he left, I worked on and started perfecting a style that has helped me and my family to continue living in Gid without fear of anyone. My brother suffered trauma to his legs, and hasn't been able to walk right since he got back from that war. It was part of the reason I came here; someone needed to take his place."

"Did you not have other siblings?"

"I do have another older brother, but he is unable to properly wield a weapon. He suffered from head trauma early in his life, and has only been able to do the most basic tasks. I had to take care of my family by myself. Our mother contracted a disease that took her life, and my father died in the war against Sen'tieru. I also have two younger sisters, and one younger brother, but he is nowhere near old enough to join." Willem listened to her as he ate, absorbing every word. He seemed to be letting go of his reservations about her. "He's actually about your age, Willem."

Willem took a bite of his food. "I doubt that, Serah," he said through a mouthful of food. Mav gave him a disapproving look. Willem swallowed his food, then continued. "I'm twelve, not ten."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"It's all right; most people get my age wrong. Your father—what was he like?"

Serah looked at her hands, her heart breaking and glad at the same time. "He was a good man; he always looked out for people. We would help whoever we could if we had extra food, and would help with clothes as well, if we could spare them. We didn't have much, but my father was a very honorable man. I learned a lot from him, including how to sew."

"So, you're good with weapons and all that. What are you doing here? As a girl, you didn't have to come here for service, right? What about your family?"

"I taught my sister everything I know, and she and my brother will be able to take care of the rest of my family. I'm here because my family's obligation to the King must be met."

"So you're a servant? With weapons?" He took another bite of his dinner.

"I'm more like a guard for the women of the court."

"She protects my sisters and my mother, Willem." The prince looked at her, a slight smile on his lips. "And she's doing a very good job. We've also been working on some of her gear; how to hide weapons and such in ordinary items."

"Like what?" Willem asked, potatoes crammed in his mouth.

"I swear, if you don't swallow those potatoes, I will shove them down your throat, Willem. Stop talking with your mouth full!" the prince ordered. Willem looked down at his plate. He nodded at the prince. He barely managed to start chewing his potatoes, his mouth was so full. "We found a way to conceal throwing knives in a money bag; pretty neat, huh?"

Willem nodded, unable to speak as he worked his jaw around the potatoes. The prince slapped the boy's back, Willem spewing potatoes all over his plate and the table. "Well done, Willem. I was wondering when you would finally listen to me." The servant looked apologetically at Serah.

Serah had to hold in her laughter. "It's okay, Willem. I've seen much worse."


	18. Chapter 18

Mav was pleased with how the dinner went. He had been surprised at Serah's beauty. He had never thought she could have gotten more beautiful, but somehow she had. Maybe it was just his imagination. He had put on some of his better clothes for dinner, but he realized he couldn't compare with Serah. He asked her to go with him on a walk outside the castle. Willem had long since left the dining room. He and Serah had talked for a few hours after the dinner was done, and he was surprised at much of what he learned about her. He talked to her about his family, mostly about his father. They made their way down the steps, Mav holding her hand as they descended. He felt like the luckiest man in the whole of Da'sheen. A beautiful woman at his side, his family safe and secure. He snuck a glance at Serah who was taking careful steps. She didn't want to ruin the dress Jessa had given her. Or so she told Mav. "My Lady, where shall we go?" he asked. Serah blushed.

"My Prince, I am not royalty like you. Serah will be fine." She took her last step and turned to Mav. "Well, my Lord, it depends on what you are in the mood for. We could always take a walk through the houses around the keep, or we can go to the Lake of Kings. That's close, right?"

"We would have to get horses to go to the lake. A little walk around the castle is fine with me, Serah." He offered her his arm.

"I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that."

"That is all right, Serah. I figured I would offer. Let's go," he said, leading the way. She followed him, glad he understood. She was growing more at ease with him, but anything to do with unnecessary touching seemed wrong.

Mav passed two guards, acknowledged them, and continued outside with Serah. Mav had his sword, and Serah had one of her daggers. He didn't expect anything to happen, but he was always cautious. They walked and talked quietly with each other, side by side. Mav was thoroughly enjoying himself, and hoped that Serah was as well. He looked up, gazing at the sky. The stars looked brighter tonight. Serah looked up as well. "It is a good night," she said, smiling at the stars and at Mav. "I never thought I would be here," she remarked, facing Mav. They had stopped. Mav's heart started beating faster. Serah turned back the way they had come from. "I mean, I expected to be laughed at and told to go home when I asked to join the service. But your mother saw me and gave me a chance. You don't know how honored I felt when she told me to go to the training. It is such a relief to talk to someone about all of this."

"Surely I'm not the only one you've told all this to?" Mav said, thinking about her relationship with V'osi.

"You're the only one who knows the Queen well enough to know why she chose to do this for me." Serah kept walking.

"My mother is a fair woman, and also more willing to try new things than my father. I'm still not sure he even knows about you. Well, what you really do, anyways." Serah was quiet. "You know, I didn't even know about you until we fought at that recruit training V'osi set up."

"I'd heard about you, but I'd never seen you until that moment. V'osi hadn't mentioned a thing about you; not the day before, nor that morning when I saw him. He is quite sneaky," she commented, thinking about some of the pranks he pulled on her while she had been at training.

"Don't I know it. That was a pretty good fight, if I do say so."

Serah looked at him. "It was; if I hadn't slipped, you would have lost."

Mav gave her a knowing look. "Oh really? Never mind the fact that my skills as a swordsman are second to none in this kingdom. That had nothing to do with the match."

"My footwork is better. If we fought again, I would win, no matter how good you are with a sword," Serah challenged. Mav looked at her, realizing how tense the situation was getting. She seriously thought she could beat him.

"Okay, your footwork is better; I will admit that. But there is no way you would beat me."

Serah raised her voice. "Yes, I would. I can beat you, your Highness; if you give me a chance to prove it, I will." Some of the families in the area started poking their heads out of their doorways, wondering what was going on. Mav noticed, and firmly took Serah's arm and started heading back to the castle. "I can do it, Prince; I'm not afraid to, either."

"Serah, please bring your voice down; no one knew we were out here, and now the people are starting to wake. Let me get you back to the castle, and we can talk there." Mav forced a smile to everyone who was looking in their direction. "Small disturbance, my people. I'm taking care of it."

Serah yanked her arm out of his hand, and strode towards the castle on her own. Mav did not expect the night to end like this. He had hoped for something less dramatic and more romantic. He made his way back to the castle, acutely aware of the people's stares. The guards held their tongues, but couldn't hold back their sniggering. Mav drew his sword, glaring at them. They stopped. He couldn't believe that a simple walk would turn into something like this. He would talk with Serah after she took a night to defuse. At least, that was his hope.

* * *

Mav dragged himself out of bed the next morning; he had been unable to sleep because of what happened between him and Serah the previous night. He took a few deep breaths to wake himself up, and managed to throw some clothes on and make it to the dining room.

"My Lord, are you coming down with something? This is the second morning you've come in like this. I don't know what is wrong with you. Do you need to spend the day recovering?"

Mav looked at Willem. His concern was rather touching; he was noticing differences in his mood. "No, I just need something to wake me up. I had a long night last night; some papers to write, other things I needed to read before this afternoon." Willem nodded, and got up to go to the kitchen. Mav thanked the Light that Willem was such a good servant. He hadn't been lying; he had stayed up writing to Zadok, and needed to find a time to go and deliver the letter to Neil. When that would be, he had no clue. His father had asked him to come to the council meeting in the afternoon, and he had told Willem they were going to do more training today. Maybe he would just go tomorrow. It would get his mind off of everything, including Serah. He was sure she never wanted to see his face again. He closed his eyes, his head drooping.

"Prince Azmaveth, your breakfast is here," Willem announced, coming in with Albrie and touting something he'd never seen or smelled before.

"What is that smell?" he said, sitting up. Albrie put the plate in front of him and Willem poured him a cup of the brown liquid.

"I'm not sure, my Prince, but Albrie tells me that it will definitely wake you up. She got it from your sister's new cook." Mav took a whiff of the drink. It didn't have a great smell. Mav looked at Willem.

"Do you trust the new cook?"

"Prince," Albrie said, "you said you wanted something to wake you up. This will do the trick. No harm in trying." She left, and Willem took his seat next to the prince. Mav looked at Willem.

"Aren't you going to have any?"

Willem looked at him like he had gone mad. "I am wide awake, Sire. You were the one who wanted it." They did their rites, then started eating. "Are we still going to practice today?" Willem asked after he had swallowed his first bite.

Mav smiled. "You're learning, Willem; and yes, we are going to practice this morning if you're up to it. It's going to be the same drills, I'm afraid. I want you to be sick of them by the end of this morning."

Willem moaned. "Again? Is that all you're going to teach me?" Mav looked at him as he chewed a piece of ham. When he finished, he leaned towards Willem.

"No, but you have to master those first. Once you can prove to me that you have mastered them, we can move onto other things."

"Yes, Prince, I understand. What time this morning?"

"How about after breakfast?" Willem nodded eagerly. Mav was glad to see him so excited. Perhaps he would be learning more sooner than he thought.

* * *

Mav was impressed at how alert he was after drinking that brown liquid Albrie had given him. It definitely helped him lead Willem in his exercises that morning. He felt a little strange come lunch, but he was awake enough to be able to get himself through lunch and to the council meeting with his father. They were discussing ways of trying to diffuse the situation with King Seta. He had heard that J'sen had gone into the forest of Senthu, and had sent his general to tell J'sen to leave. J'sen would be back in a few days. Mav would definitely have to let his sister know. He was surprised that Zadok hadn't been found. He thought for sure that Sen'tieru would be where he had headed. Perhaps he was somewhere else in Sen'tieru beside the forest of Senthu. It was entirely possible. He would find out more once he could get to Neil. "If Zadok truly has left Osi'mith, there is no reason to continue searching for him, my Lord."

"Quite, Lieutenant. Have there been any other reports in the kingdom about any disturbances in the villages?"

"There has, my King. There have been several reports of more violence in the city of Dibori done by Seta's men. You know how tenuous our control has been over the city. If we cannot drive them out for good, I'm afraid he would gain possession of Dibori. Port Umerton would fall next, and we cannot allow that to happen. We need to send a company out to mitigate the threat that King Seta and his men pose."

King Ori nodded. "You're right, Lieutenant T'osi. We need to stop this. J'sen is still making his way back to the City, so someone else will have to go. Azmaveth, my son, how soon can you get your men ready?"

"We will need two days at least, my King. We can leave in three. I'll alert the men."

"Good, Prince Azmaveth. We're counting on you to save this city." The king turned to the rest of the council. "Any other orders of business that we need to discuss before we convene the council?" The men looked at each other. No one else had anything to add. "Very well; council dismissed." The king turned to Mav. "Son, are you sure you're all right?"

"Yes, my King. It will be good to leave here for a little bit."

The king took him aside. "What about the thing we discussed a day ago? How is it going?"

"Terrible. She hates me." The king gave him a sympathetic smile.

"I sincerely doubt she hates you, my son. She's probably not sure exactly how she feels yet. I'm not going to lie, there have been times your mother wasn't very fond of me. It happens; you both need to figure out a way around it. Talk about it; see what the real problem is."

Mav was so glad his father was there. "You are absolutely right, Sire. I should go and talk with her about what's wrong. Thank you for the advice. I need to start working on the logistics with Lieutenant T'osi first."

"I expect you to be gone in three days, so get to it." The king left, and Mav and the lieutenant stayed to hash out the rough plan of how they were going to defend the city of Dibori.

* * *

Mav was exhausted. Between practicing with Willem, the council meeting, and his company now in the stages of preparing for movement, he wasn't able to find or talk to Serah. He had already discussed with the lieutenant that he had other business to attend to tomorrow, and the lieutenant was to take control for the day. Sleep was the only thing on his mind. He was headed to his wing, and nothing and no one could force him anywhere but his bed. He had told V'osi he was going to need Kyfer after breakfast. The soldier told him his horse would be ready to go when he got there. He was glad to have such good soldiers. He closed his eyes and almost fell down. Was he really falling asleep while walking? He roused himself and continued to his wing. He passed his parents' wing. He kept an eye out for Serah, only to avoid talking with her.

"Prince Azmaveth?" he heard behind him. He didn't bother turning around. It took too much energy. He kept making his way towards his wing. He was so close. "My Prince, are you all right?" the voice asked him.

"I'm fine," he yawned, almost to his section of the castle. "A little tired." He heard feet scurrying towards him.

"You are not all right, my Prince. Here, let me help you," she said, slipping herself under his arm and supporting him as they walked to his wing. Mav couldn't tell who it was; his eyes had started closing and it was making everything blurry. "Which room is yours, Sire?" He leaned on her and put his head on her shoulder.

"The second one on the left," he murmured. He was almost asleep. She pushed the door open, and got him to his bed. He fell into it and passed out.

* * *

Mav woke up face down in his bed. He sat up. He remembered someone had helped him to his room, but he didn't know who. No matter; the sleep had been a good one, and the dawn was just coming. He felt good. He dressed in his plain clothes, grabbed the letter and money, and headed to the kitchen. "Albrie, I need breakfast, and something for lunch; I have some business I need to get to, and it's going to take most of the day."

"Yes, Prince; there's some fruit over by the window, and some bread and honey over by the fire. There is also some ham left from yesterday's breakfast, if you're in the mood for more. I'll quick make you something for lunch. I know you enjoy your lunches." She got busy working on his lunch while he wolfed down what he could for breakfast. "There you go; that should be plenty, in case you get side tracked by something. I know how you are," she replied, handing him a good amount of food. "I love you, Albrie; would you marry me?" he joked, hugging the woman.

"Funny; I would probably marry you if I wasn't already taken. You've got your eyes on someone else, though. I think she's the one you should ask."

"I doubt she likes me, Albrie; thank you for everything, and tell Willem I'll be back for supper." Mav headed straight for the stables. Kyfer was snorting; the horse looked ready to move. Mav was, too. "V'osi, everything look good?" he asked as he loaded up the saddlebags. He always made sure they were distracted while he loaded the saddlebags.

"Yes, Sire; Kyfer is ready to ride, and seems pretty excited to get out."

"He does," Mav agreed. "I'm glad I have somewhere to take him. I'm out on business if anyone asks, V'osi."

"Yes, my Lord." Mav smiled and led Kyfer out of the stables. The horse chomped his bit. Kyfer was ready. Mav kicked him into a gallop and was off.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Last chapter for tonight. Hope this satiates your story thirst. Critiques welcome!**

* * *

Zadok, Asher, and two other men were in Gaiome getting supplies for the men when they overheard people talking about a man who had recently passed away. "I am so glad that Akos is dead; he was making everyone miserable, including his servants. He didn't treat anyone right, not even his wife. She deserves better, and I have no doubt that half the single men in this city are going to be courting her once they find out Akos is gone."

Asher looked at Zadok. "He died, my Lord. Can you believe it?"

"The Light above has repaid the man what he deserved. My cause has been heard and answered by the Light. We are fortunate, my friends." Zadok couldn't believe it had actually happened. He had sent up a prayer about such a thing, but never thought it would be answered in this way. He also knew that the widow Gail was probably alone. He couldn't bear the thought of her being alone. "Let's get our supplies and get back to the camp. We have a lot to talk about." They quickly made their purchases and loaded the horses down. They went back to the camp behind the city, and unloaded everything. Zadok took Asher to his area of the camp to speak privately with him.

"Asher, I am still trying to process the fact that Akos is dead. I don't want to believe it."

"I'm as shocked as you are, my Lord. But that has no bearing on us; nothing here concerns us." Asher could tell something was bothering him. "My Lord, nothing here is our concern. We have no obligation to any person in this kingdom."

"What about his widow?" Zadok asked. He looked at Asher, his hands firmly planted on the table in front of him.

"What about her, my Lord? Yes, she is now a widow. Yes, she is the one who came in her husband's name to save his sorry hide. She has proven to be a loyal and dedicated woman to her now-deceased husband. That doesn't mean we should do anything about it." Asher could tell Zadok wasn't listening to him. "My Lord, you need to listen to me; we shouldn't do anything with her."

"I don't know, Asher. There's something about her I can't put my finger on."

"My Lord, you met her for fifteen minutes; what could you possibly know about her?"

"Let's see; one, she is a beautiful woman. Two, she is a very humble and intelligent woman, which is so rare in a land like this. Last but not least, she will go to the ends of the earth to right a wrong that would result in unnecessary bloodshed. Honestly, she would be a fine woman to have."

"You can't possess her, my Lord. She's not some property to be bought."

"Why don't we go up and spend some time getting to know her?"

"Why don't you just send some men up to ask her to marry you while you're at it?" Asher shot back. Zadok paused, thinking that over. "No; no, my Lord, you can't do that."

"You're the one who suggested it." He called for three men to come meet with him. Asher looked at him in frustration.

"My Lord, don't—"

"Too late. You three, I need you to go on a mission for me. Unless you would like to accompany them, Asher."

"No, my Lord. I don't agree with what you're doing; I'm not going." Asher stepped back.

"Fine; I need you to get your horses ready and head to the household of Akos."

"Why, my prince, if I may ask?"

"I want you to offer Gail a chance to become my wife. If she says yes, wait for her and bring whatever she needs down with you. If she says no, thank her for her time and come back." The men stood there with their mouths open. "What is it?"

"You want us to ask her to marry you? Isn't that a little forward? Isn't she married?"

"Her husband's dead, therefore she is no longer bound to him. Asher suggested it." The men shot Asher a confused look. "Are you going to go or not?"

"My Lord, if you really want us to go, we will go. We just think it's a little strange. Are you absolutely certain this is what you want?"

"Yes; if you think you will need more men, you may get more men, but three should be sufficient." Zadok dismissed them, and they went to prepare their horses.

"I can't believe you're actually doing this. You're mad; you must be to ask a woman who just lost her husband to be your wife and expect her to say yes."

Zadok shrugged. "It feels right, Asher. I can't explain it. And I had a dream about this two nights ago. Like the others."

"Telling you to take Gail as your wife? Really? What does this have to do with you becoming King of Osi'mith?"

"It is only part of the whole story. The Light, or Being, or whatever you want to call this deity, keeps coming to me. I can't ignore it, Asher. You saw what happened with Rex and King Ori on that road. They are determined to help me succeed. I can't disobey what they've shown me to be right. This happens to be one of those things. Please don't ask me about her again." Asher nodded.

"I think I understand now, Prince. If this is part of the path to your kingship, I will not stand in the way. Though I do find it a bit odd that you're asking a recently widowed woman to be your wife. I remember you telling me about Jessa, my Lord. What are you going to do if she wants you back as her husband?"

Zadok thought for a moment. "I would have to ask the Light above for insight as to how to go about that. She's remarried; General J'sen is now her husband, so in all fairness, neither of us could really do anything about it."

"But if you could, would you take Jessa, Gail, or both?"

"Why are we even discussing this? I can't choose between two very different people. I choose not to answer the question. Now, let this be. We will know in four days' time what her answer is. Until then, no announcements or discussions about Gail or Jessa."

* * *

Gail was going over some details with the shepherds and servants about how they were going to do business since Akos was gone when some of the servants noticed men were riding up to the house. They told Gail, and she dismissed them as the men got closer. Five unfamiliar men. Something about them caused her to pause. She had a feeling this was going to be an interesting encounter. "You've come to pay respects to my husband, is it? I can lead you to his burial place." She started heading to his grave when one of the men spoke.

"No, my Lady. We are here for a different purpose." Gail turned to the man. The man looked uncomfortable. He looked at the other men, trying to figure out what to say.

"Well, men, are you going to need some time? My house is getting ready for work, if you need to spend some time gathering your thoughts. Come with me; one of the maids will attend to your needs." She led them into the house, and to the dining room. The men sat, unsure what to think. She called the closest maid. "These men have been riding for a while and need some food and drink; give them whatever they need." The maid nodded, going in and waiting on the men. Gail had other things she had to work on. They would eventually come out and tell her what they had come for. She left them to the maid, and went to the servants in charge of sowing the fields. They had to figure out what to plant, and which fields they were going to use for the upcoming season.

When she was finished talking with them, she went back into the house to check on the five men. "How has everything been?" she asked.

"Very well, my Lady. Thank you for all you've done. It makes this next bit a little easier to talk with you about." Gail waited, glad they were finally getting to the point of why they were there. "We are Zadok's men, my Lady, and he sent us here with the request that you become his wife."

"He knows my husband is dead?"

"Yes, my Lady; he was extremely impressed with your intelligence, your faithfulness, and for your words of encouragement." The men could now clearly see why Zadok had told them to come. She had proven all these things before they had told her about his request. Gail couldn't believe that Zadok, of all men, had asked her to be his wife. She certainly considered him a rational, reasonable man. Without a doubt, she knew that he was to become the king of Osi'mith. She had been faithful to the Light, and though it didn't speak to her, she couldn't deny that Zadok was just as faithful. When she had met him on the road, she knew she was looking at a servant of the Light, probably one of the most devoted. She looked at his men, who sat there waiting for her reply. "I accept his request, and am honored to serve him and his men."

The men were surprised at her response. "What do you need, my Lady? We are to stay until you are ready to go and be with Zadok."

"I need to set some things in order; it might be a day or two until I can get everything situated for my departure." The men nodded. "I will get you quarters until then." She called a maid and told her to get the men rooms, as well as call all the servants to the house. She nodded, then left to perform her duties.

Once all the servants were gathered in the house, Gail addressed them. "My friends, I needed you all here to let you know that I will no longer be residing here. Zadok, whom some of you know, has asked me to become his wife, and I accepted this morning. Now, I will be taking some of the flock and food for him and his men, and release you all from your duties as my servants to go serve another family or to remain here and be free men and women in charge of the rest of the household."

"My Lady, I will come with you to help serve Zadok and his men," one of the maids replied. Four others also expressed their desire to remain with her. Gail accepted their request, and told them to prepare their belongings as quickly as possible.

"I want to thank each and every one of you for being loyal servants and workers for this household. May the Light be with every one of you, and may you seek it always." They gave her the same blessing back. They disbursed, all of them trying to figure out what they wanted to do with themselves. It was strange being left to their own devices; they were so used to having an authority figure tell them what to do. One of the men went to Gail. "My Lady, I am going to stay and take care of the household; if you ever come back, everything will be here for you."

Gail smiled at the man. He had worked for her and her husband the longest of any of the servants. "You deserve this, my friend; thank you for doing this for me. The Light will surely bless you."

"And the Light will keep you safe, my Lady, along with Zadok's sword." The man left to make arrangements with the others who were planning to stay on the property.

Gail and her five maids managed to get everything they wanted to take ready that day. They started back early the next morning; Gail waved goodbye to her former servants, and followed two of the men as they went ahead towards the camp. She wondered where her decision would lead her. She was taking quite a risk doing this, but in her heart, she knew it was the right one. The other three men brought up the tail end of the convoy. They didn't want any surprises on their way back to the camp.


End file.
